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DESK. 

IVl,|-.M        ,1 


ziais. 


MAR  2  3  1992 


tSfE 


Aiiimi(OMi  (^m^aABBiii  I 


A  PRACTICAL  TREATISE  ON  THE  CULTURE  AND  MANAGE- 
MENT OF 

APPLE  AND  OTHER  FRUIT  TREES, 


OBSERVATIONS    ON    THE    DISEASES    TO     WHICH    THEY    ARE 
LIABLE,    AND    THEIR    REMEDIES. 

TO  WHICH  IS  ADDED 

THE  MOST   APPROVED  METHOD 


MANUFACTURING  AND  PRESERVING  CIDER. 


COMPILED 


FROM   THE    LATEST   AND   MOST    APPROVED   AUTHORITIES,   AND   ADAPT- 
ED  TO    THE    USE    OF   AMERICAN    FARMERS. 


BY  JAMES  THACHER,  M.  D , 

Fellow  of  the  American  Academy  of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  of  the  aiassachusetts  Medical 
Society,  circ.  is'c- 


'•  Nitiire,  !n  her  teachlnp:,  speaks  in  very  intelligihle  language,  and  that  langungt  is  con« 
Vfved  by  experience  and  observation. " 


BOSTON : 

PRINTED    A*iD    PUBLISHED    BY    JOSEPH    W,    INGRAHAJf. 

1822. 


DISTRICT    OF    MASSACHUSETTS,    TO    WIT". 

DISTRICT  clerk's    OFFICE. 

Be  it  remembered,  That  on  the  third  day  of  January,  A.  D.  1822,  and 
in  the  forty- sixth  year  of  the  Independence  of  the  United  States  of  Ame- 
rica, Joseph  W.  Ingraham,  of  the  said  district,  has  deposited  in  this  office  the 
title  of  a  book,  the  right  whereof  he  claims  as  proprietor,  in  the  words 
following-,  to  wit : 

''  The  American  Orchardist ;  or  a  practical  treatise  on  the  culture  and 
management  of  apple  and  otlier  fruit  trees,  with  observations  on  the  diseases 
to  which  they  are  liable,  and  their  remedies.  To  wliich  is  added  the  most 
appioved  method  of  manufacturing  and  preserving  cider.  Compiled  from 
the  latest  and  most  approved  authorities,  and  adapted  to  the  use  of  Ameri- 
can farmers.  By  James  Thacher,  M.  D.  Fellow  of  the  American  Aca- 
demy of  Arts  and  Sciences,  and  of  the  Massachusetts  Medical  Society,  &;c. 
&.C.  '  Nature  in  her  teaching,  speaks  in  very  intelligible  language,  and  that 
language  fs  conveyed  by  experience  and  observation.'  " 

In  conformity  to  the  act  of  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  entitled, 
"An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learning,  by  securing  the  copies  of  Maps, 
Charts,  and  Books,  to  the  authors  and  proprietors  of  such  copies,  during 
the  times  therein  mentioned  ;"  and  also  to  an  act,  entitled  "  An  act  sup- 
plementary to  an  act,  entitled,  An  act  for  the  encouragement  of  learn- 
ing, by  securing  the  copies  of  Maps,  Charts,  and  Books,  to  the  authors 
and  proprietors  of  such  copies  during  the  times  therein  mentioned;  and 
extending  the  benefits  thereof  to  the  arts  of  Designing,  Engraving,  and 
Etching,  Historical,  and  other  Prints." 

JNO.  W.  DAVIS, 
Clerk  of  the  District  of  Massachusetts. 


^  1 J  'J  'J   J 


TO    THE 

PRESIDENT    AND  OTHER  OFFICERS    OF    THE   MASSACHU- 
SETTS AGRICULTURAL  SOCIETY. 

GENTLEMEN, 

Presuming  upon  your  acquiescence,  I  introduce  to  your  no- 
tice this  little  practical  treatise  upon  one  of  the  most  interesting 
and  pleasing  branches  pertaining  to  the  science  oi  agriculture. 
The  utility  of  a  cheap  publication  of  this  kind,  for  the  information 
and  encouragement  of  our  farmers,  is  unquestionable.  If  this 
humble  attempt  should  meet  your  approbation,  and  be  found  to 
possess  a  degree  of  merit  calculated  to  co-operate  with  your  zea- 
lous efforts  to  promote  agricultural  pursuits  and  improvements  in 
our  country,  a  knowledge  of  your  character  is  an  ample  pledge 
that  you  will  not  withhold  your  patronage  and  favour.  If,  how- 
ever, it  shall  appear  that  I  have  subjected  myself  to  the  accusa- 
tion of  having  stepped  beyond  the  limits,  within  which  my  ac- 
tual knowledge  should  be  confined,  then  will  a  consciousness  of 
laudable  motives,  of  assiduity  and  fidelity  in  the  collection  of  ex- 
perimental facts,  remain  as  my  only  consolation.  I  am  not  unap- 
prized  of  the  almost  invincible  prejudice,  which  prevails  among 
our  farmers,  against  what  they  term  "  book-farming,"  "  book- 
knowledge,"  &c.  &c. ;  and  the  anecdote  is  fresh  in  my  memory, 
of  an  honest  farmer,  who,  on  being  inquired  of  Why  his  neigh- 


IV  DEDICATION. 

hour's  f^rm  was  not  more  productive,  replied,  "  because  he  has 
booked  it  to  death."  These  prejudices  exist  chiefly  among  those, 
whose  minds  are  unenliglitened,  and  views  unexpanded  by  that 
useful  knowledge,  which  is  only  to  be  acquired  by  reading.  It 
must  be  conceded  that  almost  all  improvements  are  derived  from 
tht!  records  of  practice  and  observation  ;  and  when  we  have  rea- 
son and  experience  to  support,  and  plain  facts  to  confirm,  we 
may  become  less  tenacious  of  the  rules  of  our  fathers,  believing 
that  it  may  be  the  reserved  privilege  of  the  children,  to  acquire 
the  skill  of  producing  t>vo  spires  of  grass  where  their  fathers  pro- 
duced but  one.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact  that  the  fust  planters 
bequeathed  to  their  posterity  a  greater  number  of  orchards,  in 
proportion  to  their  population,  than  are  now  to  be  found  in  the 
old  colony  ;  and  it  is  no  less  notorious  that  the  children  havQ 
substituted  a  poisonous  liquor  for  the  salutary  beverage,  which  al- 
most exclusively  cheered  the  hearts  of  their  virtuous  ancestors. 
The  views  of  men  are  often  materially  affected  through  mere  in- 
dolence of  temper,  no  less  than  through  the  cloud  of  prejudice. 
Averse  to  the  labour  of  reading  and  inquiry,  they  adhere  perti- 
naciously to  the  routine  of  their  predecessors,  and  treat  with  equal 
contempt  the  lessons  of  experience,  and  all  suggestions  of  im- 
provement. It  is  not,  however,  desirable  that  former  modes  ot 
practice  in  husbandry  should  be  abandoned  until  it  shall  be 
incontestably  proved,  that  a  system  more  adapted  to  our  circum- 
stances, and  in  all  respects  of  superiour  utility,  can  be  found- 
ed on  the  surest  basis.  It  is  not  to  be  required  of  our  farmers  to 
subject  themselves  to  the  expense  and  uncertainty  of  novel  expe- 
riments ;  birt  he  who  possesses  capital  and  leisure,  and  who,  in 
the  spirit  of  investigation,  shall  put  in  execution  a  hundred  new 
projects,  although  in  ten  only  shall  he  be  successful  in  the  acqui- 
sition of  useful  knowledge,  will  be  entitled  to  publick  praise  and 
respect.  These  pages  contain  no  speculative  or  visionary  pro- 
jects, nor  recommend  any  untried  experiments.     Although  a  por- 


DEDICATION.  V 

lion  of  information  is  derived  from  European  authors,  no  inconsi- 
derable part  of  it  has  been  collected  from  the   practical  experi- 
ments and  observations  of  our  own  countrymen.     There  is,  there- 
fore, no  nrt  of  this  production  but  what  may  be  adopted  as  ap- 
plicable to  our  climaie,    and   calculated  to  promote  the  interests 
of  the  cultivators  of  our   soil.    ^The    knowledge    respecting  the 
proper  managernenl  of  fruit  trees  is  contained  in   numerous  vo- 
liimes,  and  in  incidental  papers,  published  in   periodical  works. 
My  object  has   been  to  collate  and  embrace  all  the  principal  cir- 
cumstances relative  to  the  subject,  and  condense  the  whole  into 
a  small   compass,  that  shall   be  accessible  both  to  the  pecuniary 
means  of  all,  and  to  the  intellectual  powers  of  the  most  ordinary 
capacity.     The  authorities   to  which  I   am  chiefly  indebted,  are 
the  several  encyclopedias,  Forsyth  on  Fruit  Trees,  and  the  valua- 
ble periodical  publications  of  your  society,  and  various  other  si- 
milar productions.     If,  in  a  few  instances,    it  shall  appear  that  I 
have  employed  borrowed  language   without  marks  of  quotation, 
my  apology  is,  that  I  have  copied  from  minufes   collected  at  va- 
rious times,  without  reference  to  the  source  whence  derived;  not 
that  I  would  wittingly  pilfer  the   cultivated  fruit  of  others,  and 
impose   it   upon   my  guests  as   the   result  of  my  own  industry. 

Nothing  can  be  more  irksome  to  a  reflecting  mind  than  a  state 
of  inactivity  and  idleness.  I  have  devoted  some  of  my  leisure  hours 
to  the  subject  of  this  treatise,  and  have  derived  from  the  employ- 
ment both  recreation  and  improvement.  Should  the  book  share 
the  fate  of  many  others,  and  pass  into  neglect  and  oblivion,  it 
will  not  be  a  cause  of  chagrin  ;  but  if  it  should  be  so  fortunate  as 
to  rise  into  popularity,  and  arrest  the  attention  of  our  farmers, 
who  may  be  assured  that  a  little  "  book-knowledge''  will  do 
them  no  harm,  it  will  be  a  source  of  the  highest  gratification. 


VI  DEDICATION'. 

The  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Society,  through  your  agency, 
gentlemen,  has  already  exerted  a  happy  influence,  tending  to 
eradicate  former  prejudices,  and  greatly  to  ameliorate  the  condi- 
tion of  our  husbandry  in  its  various  branches. 

With  the  view  of  encouraging  a  familiarity  with  agricultural 
books  among  our  farmers,  permit  me  to  suggest  the  expediency 
of  supplying  our  several  county  societies  with  the  Massachusetts 
Agricultural  Repository,  on  the  most  favourable  terms  for  distri- 
bution ;  and  also  of  paying,  in  certain  proportions,  your  annual 
premiums  in  cheap  books  on  agricultural  subjects. 

That  you  may  long  continue  to  enjoy  the  satisfaction  to  be  de- 
rived from  your  patriotick  labours,  is  the  fervent  desire  of 
Your  humble  and  obedient  servant, 

JAMES  THACHER. 
Plymouth,  July,   1821. 


RECOMMENDATION. 


THE  gentlemen  who  sign  the  following  Recommendation  are  officers 
of  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Society,  although  they  do  not  suh- 
scribe  as  such  ;  but  cheerfully  consent,  as  individuals,  to  honour  the  publica- 
tion witli  the  following  testimony  of  their  approbation. 

Boston,  September  10,  1821. 
W  E  have  perused,  at  the  request  of  Dr.  Thacher,  his  Treatise  on  the 
Culture  of  Fruit  Trees,  and  the  Art  of  Making  Cider  ;  and,  although  we 
cannot  hope  that  our  opinions  will  have  any  great  weight  with  the  pubhck, 
yet,  as  the  author  is  desirous  that  we  should  express  them,  we  have  no  hesi- 
tation  in  saying,  that  it  appears  to  us  an  excellent  compendium  of  all  that 
has  been  written  on  the  subject — comprising,  within  a  moderate  compass, 
the  result  oflhe  observations  of  the  experienced  cultivators  of  Europe,  and 
of  this  country — with  many  original  suggestions  of  his  own — and  we  believe 
that  such  a  work  will  be  of  great  value  to  those,  who  wish  to  obtain  a 
knowledge  of  this  branch  of  agriculture,  but  who  cannot  have  access  to  the 
original  sources,  from  which,  with  great  labour,  and,  as  we  believe,  good 
judgment,  this  compilation  has  been  formed. 

[Names  of.  the  gentlemen  who,  as  individuals,  sign  the  above  recom- 
mendation ;  with  the  addition  of  their  titles,  as  copied  from  tlie  Massa- 
chusetts Agricultural  Journal.] 

AARON  DEXTER,  M.  D.,  President. 

SAMUEL  VV.  POMEROY,  Esq.,  First  Vice-President. 

THOMAS  L,  WINTHROP,  Esq.,  Second  Vice-President, 

JOHN  PRINCE,  Esq.,  Treasurer. 

JOHN  LOWELL,  Esq.,  Corresponding  Secretary. 

Hon   RICHARD  SULLIVAN,  Recording  Secretary. 

Hon.  PETER  C.  BROOKS,    1 

Hon.  JOHN  WELLES,  ! 

Hon.JOSIAH  QUINCY,  I 

S.  G.  PERKINS,  Esq.,  j"  Trustees. 

GORHAM  PARSONS,  Esq.,  | 
E.  HERSEY  DERBY,  Esq.,  j 


JL  HE  following  valuable  remarks  by  two  of  the  gentlemen  whose 
narecf  are  subjoined  to  the  preceding  recommendation,  were  not  received 
(ill  after  the  printing  of  the  volume  was  completed. 


"  I  RKGRET  that  f  had  not  seen  the  MS.  as  I  should  have  taken  the 
lil)erty  of  recommendins-  to  the  notice  of  Dr.  Thacher,  the  best  of  all  the 
cherries — the  Black  Tartarian,  introduced  by  Prime  Fotemkin,  from  Pon- 
tus  to  St  Petersburgh.,  soon  afier  the  conquest  of  the  Crimea,  and  brought 
to  London  by  a  Briti.-;h  botanist,  in  1796  ;  from  Vihence  my  friend,  the 
late  Eben.  Preble,  Esq.  imported  a  tree  some  years  after,  at  five  times 
the  price  of  common  sorts,  which  he  planted  in  iiis  garden  in  Boston, 
but  removing  it  the  second  year,  to  make  room  for  a  building,  check- 
ed tiie  bearing,  and  1  was  enabled  by  a  cutting  he  had  previously  given 
me,  to  produce  the  first  dessert  of  thi*  noble  fruit,  in  the  United  States. 
It  is  a  constant,  full  bearer;  succeeds  better  by  gnsfting  than  any  other 
sorts;  is  of  larger  size  than  any;  and  may  be  said  to  1)6  in  eating  from 
the  time  it  is  two  thirds  grown,  till  some  time  after  fully  ripe  ;  and  as 
evidence  of  superiour  excellence,  has  generally  brought  double  the  price 
of  the  best  black  hearts  in  the  Boston  market."       S.  W.  Pojmerov. 


"  Permit  me  to  suggest  that  so  far  as  my  esperie,nce  goes,  I  have 
found  the  first  week  of  September  the  best  time  for  budding  young  peach 
stocks.  The  bud  is  not  so  subject  to  gum  at  this  as  an  earlier  season. 
[  c«e  page  40.  ] 

"While  upon  the  subject  of  decortication  of  apple  trees,  [See  page  SO,} 
you  might,  I  think,  add,  that  tlie  operation  may  be  performed  with  equal 
success  on  old  pear  trees.  Dr.  Hol^'oke,  of  Salem,  informed  me  a  few 
years  since,  that  he  had  made  the  experiment  on  an  old  pear  tree  in  his 
3  ard  that  had  ceased  bearing,  and  restored  to  it  its  wonted  fecundity. 

"  I  have  noted  your  observations  on  grafting  pears  on  quince  stocks, 
[pages  33  and  Ifii).]  I  have  a  number  of  trees  of  this  description,  and 
some  of  them  quite  large  and  extremely  vigorous  and  healthy.  They 
produce  annually  in  great  abundance,  and  some  of  the  largest  and  finest 
pears  of  their  kind  which  I  have  ever  seen  are  produced  on  those  trees. 
J?ut  the  stock  should  be  from  what  is  called  the  Portugal  quince,  which 
grows  as  fast  as  the  natural  or  free  stock  ;  and  the  pears  put  on  them 
should  alwaj'5  be  of  the  soft  flesh,  or  buttery  kind;  the  breaking  pears 
do  not  answer  so  well  on  this,  as  on  the  free  stock.  In  France  all  their 
finest  pears,  of  the  buttery  Irind,  are  raised  on  the  Portugal  quince 
stocks."  S.  G.  Perkins. 


ERRATA. 

Page  60,  line  Sand  4,  for  John  Wells,  esquire,  of  Dorchester,  read  ho- 
nourable John  Wei  °s,  of  Dorchester,  one  of  the  trustees  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Agricultural  Society. 

Page  129,  line  15,  /or  Pomone  d'Apis,  read  Pomme  d'Apis. 


THE 


.4iiima(^4M  ^m(OMAmBaOT. 


APPLE  TREES. 

Among  the  numerous  varieties  of  fruit-bearing 
trees,  cultivated  in  our  country,  the  apple  is,  con- 
fessedly, of  superiour  importance  and  utility.  Whe- 
ther considered  as  an  esculent  for  the  dessert,  as 
an  article  for  culinary  purposes,  or  as  affording  a 
pleasant  and  wholesome  beverage,  this  fruit  is  not 
to  be  surpassed  in  excellence.  If  the  productions 
of  tropical  climates  are  valued  for  their  grateful 
and  delicious  qualities,  the  apple,  more  permanent 
and  durable,  and  possessing  nutritive  and  salubrious 
properties,  is  incomparably  of  the  greatest  estima- 
tion. From  a  natural  and  happy  gradation,  this 
fruit  attains  to  full  growth,  in  successive  order, 
during  summer  and  autumn  ;  and,  acquiring  greater 
perfection  and  maturity  after  gathering,  it  may,  by 
proper  care,  be  preserved  for  the  table,  or  for  cu- 
linary use,  until  the  return  of  the  flowering  season. 
The  soil  and  climate  of  the  United  States  are  ad- 
mirably adapted  to  the  growth  of  the  apple  tree, 
except  in  certain  districts  in  the  south,  where  the 
land  is  level  and  sandy,  and  the  atmosphere  replete 
with  humidity.  Even  the  colder  regions  of  Maine 
annually  furnish  excellent    apples  for  the  Boston 


10  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

market.  We  have  an  ample  variety  of  apples, 
many  of  which  arc  allowed  to  be  of  superiour 
quality  as  to  size,  beauty,  and  flavour.  Notwith- 
standing, however,  these  advantages,  and  the  im- 
mense value  of  apple  orchards,  their  cultivation 
has  received  but  inadequate  attention  from  the 
farmers  of  our  country.  It  must  be  confessed,  as 
a  notorious  truth,  that  an  orchard,  planted  and  cul- 
tivated in  the  most  advantageous  manner  in  point 
of  beauty,  profit,  and  convenience,  is  scarcely  to  be 
found  in  the  sphere  of  our  observation.  The  most 
palpable  neglect  prevails  in  respect  of  proper  prun- 
mg,  cleaning,  and  manuring  round  the  roots  of  trees, 
and  of  perpetuating  choice  fruit,  by  engrafting  from 
it  on  other  stocks.  Old  orchards  are,  in  general, 
in  a  state  of  rapid  decay;  and  it  is  not  uncommon 
to  seQ  valuable  and  thrifty  trees  exposed  to  the 
depredations  of  cattle  and  sheep,  and  their  foliage 
annoyed  by  caterpillars  and  other  destructive  in- 
sects. In  fact,  we  know  of  no  branch  of  agricul- 
ture so  unaccountably  and  so  culpably  disregarded. 
If  it  be  objected,  that  the  profit  will  not  remunerate 
for  the  labour  and  expense  of  cultivation,  the  obvi- 
ous reply  is,  let  the  experiment  be  fairly  tried,  in 
a  few  mstanccs,  and  the  result  will  soon  correct  the 
erroneous  impression,  and  stimulate  to  greater  at- 
tention to  the  subject.  It  may,  with  propriety,  be 
affirmed,  that  a  judiciously-cultivated  orchard  of 
select  fruit,  if  situated  at  a  convenient  distance  from 
a  large  town  or  village,  would  yield  an  annual  profit 
equal  to  any  production  of  the  industrious  husband- 
man. An  instance  has  been  adduced,  in  the  town 
of  Dorchester,  a  few  years  since,  of  one  hundred 
and  sixty  barrels  of  apples  being  produced  from 
less  than  two  acres,  the  estimated  value  of  which, 
including  the  grass  mowed  under  the  trees,  is  three 
hundred  dollars  per  acre.  In  what  branch  of  cul- 
ture can  the  husbandman  realize  a  more  ample  and 
gratifying  reward  for  his  labour  and  attention  ? 


OP    FRUIT   TREES.  11 

It  is  a  circumstance  encouraging  to  the  cultivator, 
that,  "  in  addition  to  the  usual  markets,  a  very  con- 
siderable export  has  taken  place  lately  to  Europe, 
and  that  the  flavour  of  our  apples   is   highly   esti- 
mated there."     In  every  rural  establishment,  a  fruit 
orchard  should  be  considered  an  indispensable  ap- 
pendage, as  a  source   of  real   emolument,   and  as 
contributing  to  health,    pleasure,  and  recreation. 
It  will  be  conceded,  that,  in  the  whole  department 
of  rural  economy,  there  is  not  a  more  noble,  inter- 
esting, and  beautiful  exhibition,  than  a  fruit  orchard, 
sytematically  arranged,  while  clothed  with  nature's 
foliage,  and  decorated   with  variegated   blossoms 
perfuming  the  air,  or  when  bending  under  a  load  of 
ripe  fruit  of  many  varieties.      It   is   among  the  ex- 
cellences  of  a  fruit  orchard,  that  it  aifords  a  salu- 
brious beverage^  an  adequate  supply  of  which  v^ould 
have  a  happy  tendency  to  diminish,  if  not  supersede, 
the  consumption  of  ardent  spirits,  so  destructive  to 
the   health  and  moral   character   of   our  citizens. 
"  The  palate,"  says  Mr.  Knight,   an  English  horti- 
culturahst,  "  which  relishes  fruit,  is  seldom  pleased 
with  strong  fermented  liquors;  and,  as  feeble  causes, 
continually  acting,  ultimately  produce  extensive  ef- 
fects, the  supplying  the  publick  with  fruit,  at  a  cheap 
rate,  would  have  a  tendency  to  operate  favourably, 
both  on  the  physical  and  moral  health  of  the  peo- 
ple."     It  is   presumable,  that    the  period    is  not 
far    distant,  when   the   subject  of  horticulture  will 
receive  its  merited   attention,    and   the   value  and 
utility  of  fruit  orchards  be  duly  appreciated  by  all 
ranks  of  our  citizens ;  and  it  will  be  to  me  a  source 
of  pride  and   satisfaction,   should   these  pages  con- 
tribute, in  any  degree,   to  the  promotion  of  the  de- 
sirable object.       The   most   eligible  and  approved 
method  of  propagating  fruit  trees,  some  account  of 
the  numerous  insects  which  infest   and   prey   upon 
their  vitals,  with  the  various  diseases  to  which  they 
are  liable,  and  which  prove  fatal  to  their  existence, 


12  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

and  the  best  adapted  remedies,  will  constitute  the 
principal  topicks  of  this  undertaking.  While  phi- 
losophers pride  themselves  upon  vain  speculation, 
the  practical  farmer  w^ill  be  contented  w^ith  plain 
facts,  from  M'hatever  source  derived.  Leaving  to 
others,  therefore,  the  task  of  wandering  in  the  per- 
plexing mazes  of  theory,  suffice  it  here  to  excite, 
m  the  orchardist  and  farmer,  the  spirit  of  practical 
activity,  and  to  stimulate  by  the  lessons  of  attentive 
and  intelligent  men ;  for  "  nature,  in  her  teaching, 
speaks  in  very  intelligible  language,  and  that  lan- 
_£fuage  is  conveyed  by  experience  and  observation." 
No  apology  will  be  urged  for  any  inelegance  of 
style,  as  perspicuity  and  brevity  are  conceived  to 
be  more  acceptable  requisites,  in  the  view  of  the 
respectable  cultivators  of  our  soil,  for  whose  use 
this  little  work  is  intended. 


PHYSICAL  PROPERTIES  OF  APPLES. 

"  In  diseases  of  the  breast,  says  Dr.  Willich  (Dom. 
Ency.)  such  as  catarrhs,  coughs,  consumptions,  &c. 
they  are  of  considerable  service.  For  these  bene- 
ficial purposes,  however,  they  ought  not  to  be 
eaten  raw,  but  either  roasted,  stewed,  or  boiled. 
They  may  also  be  usefully  employed  in  decoctions, 
which,  if  drank  plentifully,  tend  to  abate  febrile 
heat,  as  well  as  to  relieve  painful  strictures  in  pec- 
toral complaints.  With  regard  to  their  sensible 
properties,  apples  have  been  divided  into  spicy, 
acidulated,  and  watery.  To  the  first  class  belong 
the  various  species  of  rennet,  which  possess  a  most 
delicate  flavour,  contain  the  least  proportion  of 
water,  and,  on  account  of  their  vinous  nature,  are 
not  apt  to  excite  flatulency.  Pippins,  on  the  con- 
trary, though  affording  more  nutriment  than  the 
former,  are  more  fibrous,  and,  consequently,  require 
a  more  vigorous  stomach  to  digest  them;  hence 
they  should  be  ranked  under  the  second  class. 
Lastly,  those  sweet  and  tender  apples  which  are 


OP   FRUIT    TREES.  13 

very  juicy  and  palatable,  are  the  least  fit  to  be 
eaten  in  a  raw  state,  unless  with  the  addition  of 
bread  or  biscuit.  When  baked,  or  dried  in  the 
open  air,  they  make  an  excellent  substitute  for  rai- 
sins or  plums,  in  puddings,  pies,  and  other  dishes 
prepared  of  flour.  Sour  apples  may  be  much  im- 
proved, both  in  taste  and  quality,  by  either  baking 
or  digesting  them  in  a  close  vessel,  by  steam,  over 
a  slow  fire.  Thus  the  saccharine  principle  is  dis- 
engaged, and  they  undergo  a  speedy  and  complete 
change."  The  honourable  T.  Pickering,  in  his  ad- 
dress to  the  agricultural  society,  Essex  county, 
expresses  himself  in  the  following  language  :  "  After 
providing  a  due  proportion  of  apples  for  the  table 
and  the  ordinary  purposes  of  cookery,  I  do  not 
hesitate  to  express  my  opinion,  that,  for  all  other 
uses,  sweet  apples  are  entitled  to  the  preference. 
The  best  cider  I  ever  tasted,  in  this  country,  was 
made  wholly  of  sweet  apples.  They  afford  also  a 
nourishing  food  to  man  and  all  domestick  animals. 
What  furnishes  a  more  delicious  repast  than  a  rich 
sweet  apple  baked  and  eaten  in  milk  ?  I  recollect 
the  observation  made  to  me  by  an  observing  farmer, 
before  the  American  revolution,  that  nothing  would 
fatten  cattle  faster  than  sweet  apples.  Mentioning 
this,  a  few  years  since,  to  a  gentleman  of  my  ac- 
quaintance in  an  adjoining  state,  he  informed  me, 
that  he  was  once  advised  to  give  sweet  apples  to  a 
sick  horse.  Happening  then  to  have  them  in  plen- 
ty, the  horse  was  served  with  them,  and  he  soon 
got  well,  and,  continuing  to  be  fed  with  them,  he 
fattened  faster  than  any  other  horse  that  he  had 
ever  owned  that  was  fed  with  any  other  food. 
Mentioning  to  the  same  gentleman,  what  I  had  long 
before  heard,  that  a  good  molasses  might  be  made 
of  sweet  apples,  he  confirmed  the  fact  by  an  in- 
stance within  his  own  knowledge,  &c.  &c.  The  pro- 
cess is  very  simple.  The  apples  being  ground,  and 
the  juice  expressed  at  the  cider  mills,  it  is  immedi- 


14  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMEN^T 

atelj  boiled ;  and  the  scum  being  taken  off,  the  boihng 
is  continued,  until  the  Hquor  acquires  the  consistence 
©f  molasses." 

Mr.  Knisjht,  an  English  gentleman,  in  his  treatise 
on  the  apple  and  pear,  sajs  that  the  juice  of  these 
fruits  might  be  used  with  great  advantage  on  long- 
voyages.  He  has  frequently  reduced  it  by  boiling 
to  the  consistence  of  a  weak  jelly,  and  in  this  state 
it  has  remained  several  years  without  the  slightest 
apparent  change,  though  it  has  been  intentionally 
exposed  to  much  variation  of  temperature.  A  large 
quantity  of  the  inspissated  juice  would  occupy  but 
a  very  small  space ;  and  the  addition  of  a  iew 
pounds  of  it  to  a  hogshead  of  water  would  proba- 
bly at  any  time  form  a  good  liquor  similar  to  cider 
or  perry.  It  might  also,  he  thinks,  be  used  to  sup- 
ply the  place  of  rob  of  lemons  and  oranges,  and 
might  be  obtained  at  a  much  lower  price. 

I  avail  myself  of  the  following  appropriate  sen- 
tence, in  the  language  of  one  who  has  long  been 
eminently  distinguished  for  his  numerous  patriotick 
and  amiable  virtues.* 

"  When  w^e  consider  the  various  manners  in 
which  fruits  are  beneficial;  when  we  recollect  the 
pleasure  they  afford  to  the  senses,  and  the  chaste 
and  innocent  occupation  which  they  give  in  their 
cultivation;  when  we  consider  the  reputation 
which  they  communicate  to  a  country  in  the  eye 
of  strangers,  especially  as  affording  a  test  of  its 
climate  and  industry ;  when  we  remember  the 
importance  of  improving  the  beverage  which  they 
are  intended  to  supply  ;  when  it  is  calculated  un- 
der how  many  sohd  forms  they  may  be  exported 
(as  dried,  baked,  and  preserved,  as  well  as  in  their 
natural  state ;)   and   lastly,  when   we   reflect  upon 

*  See  a  letter  on  fruit  trees,  by  a  member  of  the  Kennebeck 
agricultural  societj,  published  in  papers  on  agriculture.  Ma^s. 
society,  1804'. 


OP   FRUIT    TREES.  15 

the  utility  of  giving  to  our  rural  labours  a  thouglit- 
i'ul  turn,  which  is  the  best  substitute  now  left,  after 
having  quitted  our  primeval  state;  I  say,  when  we 
consider  these  things,  it  will  appear  that  the  sub- 
ject of  fruits,  which  were  the  first  earthly  gift  of 
JProvidence  to  man  in  his  more  favoured  state,  may 
well  continue  to  merit  both  the  publick  and  indi- 
vidual attention." 


ORIGINAL  STOCK. 

It  is  the  opinion  of  botanists,  "  that  the  wilding, 
©r  crab-apple  of  the  woods  and  hedges,  is  the  origi- 
nal kind  from  the  seeds  of  which  the  apple  now 
cultivated  was  first  obtained.  The  varieties  of 
this  species  are  multiplied  to  some  hundreds,  in 
different  places,  all  having  been  first  accidentally 
procured  from  the  seed  or  kernels  of  the  fruit,  and 
then  increased  by  grafting  upon  crabs  or  other 
kinds  of  apple  stocks."  (Dora.  Ency.)  The  crab  is 
still  considered  as  a  proper  stock  to  receive  the 
grafts  of  the  more  valuable  varieties,  and  is  even 
preferred  by  some  cultivators  as  being  more  hardy, 
better  able  to  endure  cold  and  coarse  land ;  and 
they  also  take  firmer  root,  are  of  more  rapid  growth, 
and  make  larger  trees. 

This  tree  may  be  found  in  forests,  and  other  un- 
cultivated places.  Its  stems  and  branches  are 
armed  with  sharp  thorns,  and  its  fruit  is  small,  and 
so  extremely  acrid  and  unpleasant,  that  it  is  not 
edible  in  its  natural  state.  The  following  descrip- 
tion, by  Mr.  William  Bartram,  is  copied  from 
Mease's  edition  of  the  domestick  encyclopedia. 
'^  The  pyrus  coronaria,  or  native  crab  apple  ofJYorth 
America^  is  not  eaten,  except  when  preserved  in 
sugar,  and  in  this  state,  they  are  deservedly  esteem- 
ed as  a  great  delicacy.  The  fruit  is  flattish,  above 
one  inch  in  diameter,  yellow  when  ripe,  or  of  the 
colour  of  polished  brass,  and  possesses  an  agreea- 


16  CULTURE    AND    IVIANAGEMExNT 

ble  fragrancy.  Perhaps  no  tree  presents  a  more 
gay  appearance  in  the  springy,  Avhen  dressed  in 
green,  and  with  clusters  of  dowers  of  a  most  pleas- 
ing blush.  The  petals  may  be  compared  to  flakes 
of  white  wax,  faintly  tinged  with  the  finest  car- 
mine ;  though  some  trees  have  flowers  of  a  damask 
rose  colour."  The  honourable  Timothy  Pickering, 
from  long  experience,  observes,  "  to  bring  an  orchard 
as  early  as  possible  into  profit,  plant  common  wild 
trees,  or  what  are  commonly  called  crab  apples, 
four  or  five  years  old.  They  should  be  cut  down 
as  soon  as  planted,  and  on  their  young  shoots  graft 
or  inoculate  such  fruit  as  is  desired.  From  this 
practice,  more  fruit  will  be  obtained  in  ten  years, 
than  in  the  usual  way  in  twenty  years.  The  wild 
tree,  if  grafted  on  its  own  stock,  will  come  much 
earlier  to  bearing  fruit,  and  it  will  be  improved 
both  in  size  and  flavour." 


CULTIVATED  OR  SEEDLING  STOCKS. 

When  the  crab  stock  cannot  be  procured  in  suf- 
ficient quantity  for  the  purpose  of  propagation,  it 
becomes  necessary  to  resort  to  the  expedient  of 
culture  from  the  seeds.  Seedling  stocks,  which 
have  a  natural  tendency  to  attain  the  full  height  of 
the  species  to  be  grafted  on  them,  are  generally 
denominatedyr«e  stocks.  Every  planter  who  is  so- 
licitous to  keep  an  orchard  well  stocked  with  fruit 
trees,  should  cultivate  in  a  nursery  his  own  free 
stocks,  and  graft  for  himself,  that  he  may  realize 
all  the  advantaares  to  be  derived  from  a  knowledjre 
of  the  soil  and  the  peculiar  properties  of  his  trees, 
and  thereby  avoid  many  impositions  practised  by 
ignorant  and  artful  nursery-men.  He  will  more- 
over be  enabled  to  select  such  stocks  for  grafting, 
as  experience  shows  to  be  best  adapted  to  the  soil 
and  climate  of  his  plantation,  and  which  meet  his 
own  particular  views.      Trees    raised   from  seed 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  17 

rarely  produce  the  same  species  of  fruit  with  that 
from  which  the  kernels  were  taken,  yet  they  are 
well  adapted  as  stocks  for  grafting,  and  it  occasion- 
ally happens  that  a  new  and  valuable  variety  is 
thus  produced,  either  for  cider,  or  for  the  dessert. 
An  accurate  observer,  Mr.  Joseph  Cooper,  of  New 
Jersey,  asserts,  (Dom.  Ency.  Mease's  edit.)  that  ex- 
perience, for  more  than  fifty  years,  has  convinced 
him,  that,  although  seedlings  from  apples  will  scarce- 
ly ever  produce  fruit  exactly  similar  to  the  origi- 
nal, yet  many  of  them  will  produce  excellent  fruit : 
some  will  even  be  superiour  to  the  apples  from 
which  the  seeds  are  taken.  This  fact  lias  led  him 
to  plant  seeds  from  the  largest  and  best  kinds  of 
fruit,  and  from  trees  of  a  strong  and  rapid  growth^ 
and  let  all  the  young  trees  bear  fruit  before  graft- 
ing, which  produce  uncommon  strong  shoots  or  a 
large  rich-looking  leaf.  He  has  seldom  known 
them  fail  of  bearing  fruit  having  some  good  quality ; 
at  all  events  they  make  a  stock  to  receiv^e  the 
grafts  of  any  good  kind  which  may  present  itself. 

BEST  ADAPTED  SOIL. 

The  apple  tree  will  thrive  and  flourish  in  many 
different  sorts  of  soil ;  but  a  dry  friable  loam  should 
probably  be  preferred,  as  too  much  moisture  is 
known  to  be  injurious  to  the  roots.  Such  soil  as 
produces  good  crops  of  corn  or  grass  will,  in  general, 
afford  the  requisite  and  best  adapted  nutriment  to 
apple  or  pear  trees.  The  soil  should  not  only  be 
rich,  but  have  a  good  depth,  not  less  perhaps  than 
two  or  three  feet.  It  has  been  remarked  as  a  fact, 
that,  in  each  particular  place,  certain  kinds  of  apples 
have  been  observed  to  succeed  better  than  other 
kinds ;  and,  according  to  the  observations  of  the  ho- 
nourable Timothy  Pickering,  many  different  sorts 
will  flourish  on  an  acre  of  ground,  when  the  same 
number  of  one  sort  would  starve.  When,  there- 
3 


18  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

fore,  the  cultivator  has  discovered  the  varieties  most 
con2;enial  to  the  soil  and  situation  he  occupies,  it 
should  be  his  endeavour  to  encourage  them,  by  mul- 
tiplying the  grafts  on  his  unproductive  trees,  or  by 
forming  new  additional  trees  by  grafting  on  other 
stocks. 


PRODUCTION  OF  NEW  VARIETIES. 

The  apple  tree  does  not  enjoy  indefinite  longevi- 
ty.    Each  species  has  its  periods  of  infancy,  youth, 
maturity,  and  decrepit  age;  and,  in  process  of  time, 
it  is  totally  annihilated ;  nor  is  it  in  the  power  of  art 
to  protract  its  existence  beyond  its  limited  duration. 
Hence  we  frequently  hear  the  complaint,  that  many 
varieties  of  apple,  formerly  held  in  high  estimation, 
are  no  longer  to  be  obtained,  having  entirely  run  out., 
as  it  is  termed.  The  seeds  of  apples,  however,  contain 
the  germ  of  an  infinite  variety  of  fruit.     New  vari- 
eties, and  some  of  excellent  quality,  are  contmually 
produced  from  seeds.     The  famous  winter  pippin 
was   the   spontaneous  production  from   a   seed   at 
Newtown,  Long  Island.   But  there  is  no  dependence 
upon  obtaining  a  particular  variety  by  planting  the 
seeds.     "A  hundred  seeds  of  the  golden  pippin  will 
all  produce  fine  large-leaved  apple  trees,  bearing 
fruit  of  considerable  size  ;  but  the  tastes  and  colours 
of  the  apple  from  each  will  be  different,  and  none  will 
be  the  same  in  kind  with  those  of  the  pippin  itself. 
Some  will  be  sweet,  some  bitter,  some  sour,  some 
mawkish,  some  aromatick,  some  yellow,  some  green, 
some  red,  some  streaked."    The  seeds  for  planting, 
should  always  be  selected  from  the  most  highly  cul- 
tivated fruit,  and  the  fairest  and  ripest  specimen  of 
such  variety.     In  some  instances,  a  new  and  valua- 
ble variety  may  thus  be  obtained,  and  the  seedlings 
will  afford  some  indication  of  their  future  produce, 
even  before  they  attain  to  their  bearing  state.  The 
larger  and  thicker  the  leaves  of  a  seedling,  and  the 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  19 

Miore  expanded  its  blossoms,  the  more  it  is  likely  to 
produce  a  good  variety  of  fruit.  Short-leaved  trees 
should  never  be  selected,  for  these  approach  near- 
er to  the  oriofinal  standard  :  whereas  the  other 
qualities  indicate  the  influence  of  cultivation.  Eve- 
ry fruit  tree  must  attain  to  a  certain  age  before  it 
can  bear  fruit.  An  apple  tree  from  the  seed  re- 
quires to  be  twelve  or  fifteen  years  old  before  it 
Avill  produce  fruit  in  perfection ;  but  a  method  will 
be  hereafter  described  by  which  particular  bran- 
ches may  be  forced  to  produce  blossoms  and  fruit  at 
an  earlier  period,  and  their  quality  sooner  ascer- 
tained. 

The  following  are  the  sentiments  of  Mr.  Knight, 
an  experienced  English  horticulturalist,  (Edin.  Encv. 
Amer.  edit,  article  horticulture.)  All  the  exten- 
sions, he  observes,  by  means  of  grafts  and  buds, 
must  naturally  partake  of  the  qualities  of  the  origi- 
nal. Where  the  original  is  old,  there  must  be  in- 
herent in  the  derivatives  the  tendency  to  decay  in- 
cident to  old  age.  It  is  not  to  be  understood,  how- 
ever, that  a  graft  cannot  survive  the  trunk  from 
which  it  was  taken  :  this  would  be  deemed  absurd. 
It  may  iiideed  be  assumed  as  a  fact,  that  a  variety 
or  kind  of  fruity  such  as  the  golden  pippin  or  the 
ribston,  is  equivalent  only  to  an  individual.  By 
careful  management  the  health  and  life  of  this  in- 
dividual may  be  prolonged;  and  grafts  placed  on 
vigorous  stocks  and  nursed  in  favourable  situations, 
may  long  survive  the  parent  plant  or  original  un- 
grafted  tree.  Still  there  is  a  progress  to  extinction, 
and  the  only  renewal  of  an  individual,  the  only  true 
reproduction,  is  by  seed.  As  the  production  of 
new  varieties  of  fruit  from  the  seed,  is  a  subject 
Avhich  now  very  much  occupies  the  attention  of 
horticulturalists,  it  may  be  proper  here  to  state  the 
precautions  adopted  by  Mr.  Knight  and  others  in 
conducting  their  trials.  It  is  in  the  first  place  a 
rule  to  take  the  geeds  of  the  finest  kinds  of  fruit. 


20  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

and  from  the  ripest,  lars^est  and  best  flavoured  spe- 
cimens of*  that  fruit.  When  Mr.  K.  wished  to  pro- 
cure some  of  the  old  apples  in  a  healthy  and  reno- 
vated state,  he  adopted  the  following  method  :  He 
prepared  stocks  of  the  best  kind  of  apple  that  could 
be  propagated  by  cuttings,  and  planted  them  against 
a  south  wall  in  a  very  rich  soil.  These  were  next 
year  grafted  with  the  stire,  golden  pippin,  or  some 
other  fine  old  kind.  In  the  course  of  the  following 
winter  t\ye  young  trees  were  dug  up,  and  the  roots 
being  retrenched,  they  were  replanted  in  the  same 
place.  By  this  mode  of  treatment  they  were  thrown 
into  bearing  at  two  years  old.  One  or  two  ap- 
ples were  allowed  to  remain  on  each  tree :  these 
consequently  attained  a  large  size,  a  more  perfect 
maturity.  The  seeds  from  these  fruits,  Mr.  K.  then 
sowed,  in  the  hope  of  procuring  seedlings  possessed 
of  good  or  of  promising  qualities ;  and  these  hopes 
have  not  been  disappointed.  In  order  to  produce 
a  hybrid  variety,  possessing  perhaps  a  union  of  the 
good  properties  of  two  kinds,  Mr.  K.  had  recourse 
to  the  nice  operation  of  dusting  the  pollen  of  one 
variety  upon  the  pistils  of  another.  He  opened  the 
unexpanded  blossom,  and  cut  away,  with  a  pair  of 
fine  pointed  scissors,  all  the  stamina,  taking  great 
care  to  leave  the  styles  and  stigmata  uninjured. 
The  fruit  which  resulted  from  this  artificial  impreg- 
nation were  the  most  promising  of  any,  and  the  seeds 
of  these  he  did  not  fail  to  sow.  Every  seed,  though 
taken  from  the  same  individual  fruit,  furnishes  a 
distinct  variety.  These  varieties,  as  might  be  an- 
ticipated, prove  of  very  different  merits ;  but  to 
form  a  general  opinion  of  their  value,  it  is  not  ne- 
cessary to  wait  till  they  produce  fruit;  an  esti- 
mate may  be  formed,  even  during  the  first  summer, 
by  the  resemblance  the  leaves  bear  to  those  of  the 
highly  cultivated  or  approved  trees,  or  to  those  of 
the  wild  kinds.  The  more  they  approach  to  the 
former,  the  better  is  the  prospect.     The  leaves  of 


OF    FRUIT   TREES.  21 

good  kinds  improve  in  character,  becoming  thicker, 
rounder,  and  more  downy  every  season.  The  plants 
whose  buds  in  the  annual  wood  are  full  and  promi- 
nent, are  usually  more  productive  than  those  whose 
buds  are  small  and  shrunk  into  the  bark.  But  their 
future  character,  as  remarked  by  Mr.  K.  must  de- 
pend very  much  on  the  poAver  the  blossoms  possess 
of  bearing  cold ;  and  this  power  is  observed  to  vary 
in  the  different  varieties,  and  can  only  be  ascertain- 
ed by  experience.  Those  which  produce  their 
leaves  and  blossoms  early  are  preferable,  because, 
although  more  exposed  to  injury  by  frosts,  they  are 
less  liable  to  the  attacks  of  caterpillars.  It  is  also  to 
be  observed,  that  even  after  a  seedling  tree  has  be- 
gun to  produce  fruit,  the  quality  of  this  has  a  ten- 
dency to  improve  as  the  tree  itself  becomes  strong- 
er and  approaches  maturity ;  so  that  if  a  fruit  pos- 
sess any  promising  qualities  at  first,  great  improve- 
ment may  be  expected  in  succeeding  years. 

A  precaution  is  suggested,  by  the  honourable  T. 
Pickering,  that  apple  trees,  bearing  bad  or  ordinary 
fruit,  should  not  be  suffered  to  grow  with  those 
which  bear  fruit  of  a  superiour  quality.  It  is  a  fact, 
with  which  gardeners  are  familiar,  that  the  blossoms 
of  cucumbers  will  greatly  injure  the  flavour  of  me- 
lons that  grow  near  them  ;  and  it  is  reasonable  to 
suppose  that  fruits,  while  forming  on  the  trees,  are 
liable  in  like  manner  to  suffer  deterioration.  The 
result  of  the  following  experiment  would  seem  to 
strengthen  the  above  conjecture.  The  experiment, 
it  is  said,  has  m  numerous  instances  succeeded,  Avith- 
out  a  single  failure.  In  an  orchard,  containing  a  great 
variety  of  apple  trees,  bearing  sweet,  and  some 
very  acrid  fruit,  and  others  partaking  of  both  these 
properties,  in  the  vernal  season,  when  the  trees 
are  in  full  blossom,'  the  pollen  (or  impregnating 
dust)  was  taken  from  one  tree,  (for  example,  where 
the  fruit  is  very  SAveet,)  and  deposited  on  the  flow- 
ers of  a  particular  branch  of  another  tree,  Avhose 


2fi  CULTURE  AND    MANAGEMENT 

fruit  is  extremely  acrid.  The  apples  of  that  par- 
ticular branch  were  found  to  combine  these  two 
properties  for  that  season;  and  by  this  simple  pro- 
cess, the  experimenter  asserts,  he  can  easily  provide 
himself  with  apples,  for  that  season,  perfectly  to 
his  taste,  which  he  considers  a  much  more  expedi- 
tious and  equally  as  certain  a  process  as  that  of 
grafting. 

An  account  of  a  singular  apple  tree,  producing  fruit  of  opposite 
qualities  ;  a  part  of  the  same  apple  being  frequently  sour,  and 
the  other  sweet :  in  a  letter  from  the  reverend  Peter  Whitney, 
published  in  the  memoirs  of  the  American  academy  of  arts  and 
sciences,  vol.  i. 

"  There  is  now  growing,  in  an  orchard  lately 
belonging;  to  my  honoured  father,  the  reverend 
Aaron  Whitney,  of  Pctershan),  deceased,  an  apple 
tree  very  smgular  with  respect  to  its  fruit.  The 
apples  are  fair,  and  when  iully  ripe,  of  a  yellow 
colour,  but  evidently  of  different  tastes — sour  and 
sweet.  The  part  which  is  sour  is  not  very  tart, 
nor  the  other  very  sweet.  Two  apples,  growing 
side  by  side  on  the  same  limb,  will  be  often  of 
these  different  tastes ;  the  one  all  sour,  and  the 
other  all  sweet.  And,  which  is  more  remarkable, 
the  same  apple  will  frequently  be  sour  one  side, 
end,  or  part,  and  the  other  sweet,  and  that  not  in 
any  order  or  uniformity ;  nor  is  there  any  difference 
in  the  appearance  of  one  part  from  the  other. 
And  as  to  the  quantity,  some  have  more  of  the  acid 
and  less  of  the  sweet,  and  so  vice  versa.  Neither 
are  the  apples,  so  different  in  their  tastes,  peculiar 
to  any  particular  branches,  but  are  found  promis- 
cuously, on  every  branch  of  the  tree.  The  tree 
stands  almost  in  the  midst  of  a  large  orchard,  in  a 
rich  and  strong  soil,  and  was  transplanted  there 
forty  years  ago.  There  is  no  appearance  of  the 
trunk,  or  any  of  the  branches,  having  been  engraft- 
ed or  inoculated.  It  was  a  number  of  years,  after 
it   had  borne  fruit,  before  these   different  tastes 


OF    FRUIT   TREES.  23 

"were  noticed;  but,  since  they  were  first  discover- 
ed, whicli  is  about  twenty  years,  there  has  been, 
constantly,  the  same  variety  in  the  apples.  For 
the  truth  of  what  I  have  asserted,  I  can  appeal  to 
many  persons  of  distinction,  and  of  nice  tastes,  who 
have  travelled  a  great  distance  to  view  the  tree, 
and  taste  the  fruit ;  but  to  investigate  the  cause  of 
an  eiFect,  so  much  out  of  the  common  course  of  na- 
ture, must,  I  think,  be  attended  with  difficulty. 
The  only  solution  that  I  can  conceive  is,  that  the 
eorcula,  or  hearts  of  two  seeds,  the  one  from  a 
.sour,  the  other  from  a  sweet  apple,  might  so  in- 
corporate in  the  ground  as  to  produce  but  one 
plant ;  or  that  farina  from  blossoms  of  those  oppo- 
site qualities,  might  pass  into  and  impregnate  the 
same  seed.  If  you  should  think  the  account  I  have 
given  you  of  this  singular  apple  tree  will  be  ac- 
ceptable to  the  American  academy,  please  to  com- 
municate it. 

"  I  am,  &c.  Peter  Whitney." 

The  above  singular  phenomenon  may  now  be 
solved,  since  it  is  ascertained  that  the  flowers  may 
be  impregnated  by  the  pollen  from  other  trees, 
and  fruit  of  various  qualities  is  thus  obtained.  The 
tree,  described  by  the  reverend  gentleman,  stood 
"  almost  in  the  middle  of  a  large  orchard."  Will 
it  be  deemed  an  extravagant  conjecture,  that  this 
tree  had  acquired  a  peculiar  attachment,  or  attrac- 
tive power,  by  which  this  curious  kind  of  fecunditv 
was  eifected  ? 


ENGRAFTED  FRUITS  NOT  PERMANENT. 

Mr.  Bucknal,  an  ingenious  English  writer,  has 
favoured  the  publick  with  some  highly  valuable 
and  interesting  observations  on  the  subject  of  en- 
grafted fruit  trees,  of  which  the  following  is  an  ab- 
stract, from  Dom.  Ency.  Monse's  edit.  vol.  v.  p.  19*2. 


24  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

Engrafted  fruits,  Mr.  Bucknal  asserts,  are  not 
permanent.  Every  one,  of  the  least  reflection, 
must  see  that  there  is  an  essential  diflerence  be- 
tween the  power  and  energy  of  a  seedling  plant  and 
the  tree  which  is  to  be  raised  from  cuttings  or 
elongations.  The  seedling,  is  endued  with  the  ener- 
gies of  nature,  while  the  graft,  or  scion,  is  nothing 
more  than  a  regular  elongation,  carried,  perhaps, 
through  the  several  repeatings  of  the  same  varie- 
ty ;  whereas  the  seed,  from  having  been  placed  in 
the  earth,  germinates,  and  becomes  a  new  plant, 
whenever  nature  permits  like  to  produce  like  in 
vegetation.  Engrafted  fruits  are  doomed  by  na- 
ture to  continue  for  a  time,  and  then  gradually  de- 
cline, till  at  last  the  variety  is  totally  lost,  and  soon 
forgotten,  unless  recorded  by  tradition,  or  in  old 
publications.  From  the  attention  lately  paid  to 
the  culture  of  engrafted  fruits,  we  are  now  enabled 
to  continue  a  supposed  happily  acquired  tree,  for  a 
much  longer  duration,  than  if  such  variety  had 
been  left  in  the  state  of  unassisted  nature;  per- 
haps a  duration  as  long  again,  or  something  more. 
But  there  is  no  direct  permanency,  because  the 
kernels,  within  the  fruit,  which  are  the  seed  of  the 
plants  for  forming  the  next  generation  of  trees,  will 
not  produce  their  like.  They  may  do  so,  acciden- 
tally ;  but  nothing  more  can  be  depended  on.  For 
example,  suppose  we  take  ten  kernels,  or  pips,  of 
any  apple  raised  on  an  engrafted  stock  :  sow  them, 
and  they  will  produce  ten  different  varieties,  no 
two  of  which  will  be  alike,  nor  will  either  of  them 
closely  resemble  the  fruit  from  which  the  seeds 
Avere  collected.  The  leaves  also,  of  those  trees 
raised  from  the  same  primogeneous  or  parent 
stock,  will  not  actually  be  a  copy  of  the  leaves  of 
any  one  of  the  varieties  or  family,  to  which  each  is 
connected  by  a  vegetable  consanguinity.  In  choos- 
ing the  seed,  that  apple  is  likely  to  produce  the 


OF   FRUIT    TftEES.  25 

clearest  and  tinest  plants,  whose  kernels  are  firm, 
large,  and  well  ripened.  The  size  of  the  fruit  is 
not  to  be  regarded;  for  large  apples  do  not  al- 
ways ripen  well,  or  rather,  for  cider,  the  small 
fruits  are  generally  preferred,  for  making  the 
strongest  and  highest-flavoured  liquor.  Should  no 
valuable  apples  be  raised  from  this  process,  the 
seedlings  will  make  excellent  stocks  to  engraft 
upon.  In  attempting  to  acquire  new  varieties,  all 
the  young  plants,  from  the  bed  of  apple  quick, 
whose  appearance  is  in  the  least  degree  promising, 
should  be  selected  and  planted  together,  at  such  a 
distance,  as  to  allow  each  to  produce  its  fruit, 
which  will  happen  in  about  from  twelve  to  fifteen 
or  eighteen  years,  though  Mr.  Knight  had  two 
plants  bearing  fruit  at  six,  and  one  at  five  years. 
Mr.  Bucknal  mentions  one  variety  of  apple,  within 
his  knowledge,  which  he  supposes  to  be  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  years  old ;  and  a  pear  tree,  supposed 
to  be  two  hundred  years  old.  It  is  an  undoubted 
fact,  and  worthy  of  observation,  that  all  the  dif- 
ferent trees,  of  the  same  variety,  have  a  wonderful 
tendency  to  similarity  of  appearance  among  them- 
selves ;  and  that  the  parent  stock,  and  all  engrafted 
from  it,  have  a  greater  resemblance  to  each  other, 
than  can  be  found  in  any  part  of  the  animal  crea- 
tion ;  and  this  habit  does  not  vary  to  any  extent  of 
age.  Whatever  is  said  here  respecting  the  apple, 
is  equally  applicable  to  the  pear  tree.  Some 
years  ago,  from  due  investigation  and  thorough 
conviction,  Mr.  B.  propagated  the  principle,  that  all 
the  grafts,  taken  from  the  first  tree  or  parent 
stock,  or  any  of  the  descendants,  will  for  some  gene- 
rations thrive ;  but  when  this  first  stock  shall,  by 
mere  dint  of  old  aj^e,  fall  into  actual  decav,  a 
nihility  of  vegetation,  the  descendants,  however 
young,  or  in  whatever  situation  they  may  be,  will 
gradually  decline;  and,  from  that  time,  it  would  bo 
imprudent,  in  point  of  profit,  to  attempt  propagal- 
4 


26  CULTUR^  AND  MANAGEMENT 

ing  that  variety  from  any  of  them.  This  is  the  dog- 
ma which  must  be  received  as  undoubtedly  true. 
From  the  time  the  kernel  germinates  for  apple 
quick,  should  the  plant  be  disposed  to  form  a  valua- 
ble variety,  there  will  appear  a  regular  progres- 
sive change  or  improvement  in  the  organization 
of  the  leaves,  until  that  variety  has  stood  and 
grown  sufficient  to  blossom  and  come  to  full  bear- 
ing ;  that  is,  from  the  state  of  infancy  to  maturity  ; 
and  it  is  this  and  other  circumstances,  by  which  the 
inquisitive  eye  is  enabled  to  form  the  selection, 
among  those  appearing  likely  to  become  valuable 
fruits.  But  from  that  time,  the  new  variety,  or  se- 
lect plant,  being  compared  with  all  the  engraftments 
which  may  be  taken  from  it,  or  any  of  them,  these 
shall  show  a  most  undeviating  sameness  among  them- 
selves. The  different  varieties  of  fruit  are  easily 
distinguished  from  each  other  by  many  particulars; 
not  only  their  general  fertility,  and  the  form,  size, 
shape,  and  flavour  of  the  fruil,  but  also  the  manner 
of  the  growth  of  the  tree,  the  thickness  and  pro- 
portion of  the  twigs,  their  shooting  from  the  parent 
stem,  the  form,  colour,  and  consistence  of  the  leaf, 
and  many  other  circumstances  by  v.hich  the  varie- 
ty can  be  identified ;  and  were  it  possible  to  engraft 
each  variety  upon  the  same  stock,  they  would  still 
retain  their  discriminating  qualities  with  the  most 
undeviating  certainty.  Further,  if  twenty  different 
varieties  were  placed  together,  so  that  each  could 
receive  its  nurture  from  the  same  stem,  they  Avould 
gradually  die  off  in  actual  succession,  according  to 
the  age  or  state  of  health  of  the  respective  variety 
at  the  time  the  scions  were  placed  in  the  stock; 
and  a  discriminating  eye,  used  to  the  business,  would 
nearly  be  able  to  foretell  the  order  in  which  each 
scion  would  actually  decline.  Should  it  also  hap- 
pen that  two  or  three  suckers,  from  the  wilding 
stock,  had  been  permitted  to  grow  among  the  twen- 
ty grafts,   such  suckers,  or  wilding  shoots,  would 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  27 

continue,  and  make  a  tree  after  all  the  rest  are  gone. 
A  further  consequence  would  result  from  the  ex- 
periment. Among  such  a  number  of  varieties,  each 
of  the  free  growers  would  starve  the  delicate,  and 
drive  them  out  of  existence  only  so  much  the  soon- 
er. It  must  be  observed,  that  this  supposed  stem 
is  the  foster  parent  to  the  twenty  scions,  and  real 
parent  to  the  suckers ;  and  those  least  conversant 
with  engrafted  fruits  know  the  advantage  acquired 
by  this  circumstance.  By  an  experiment,  says  Mr^ 
B.,  we  have  had  in  hand  for  five  years,  it  will  ap- 
pear, that  the  roots  and  stem  of  a  large  tree,  after 
the  first  set  of  scions  are  exhausted  or  worn  out, 
may  carry  another  set  for  many  years;  and  we  sus- 
pect a  third  set,  provided  engrafting  is  properly 
done,  and  the  engrafter  chooses  anew  variety.  To 
express  the  concluding  sentiments  of  Mr.  B.  in  a  few 
words,  he  maintains,  that  the  different  varieties  of 
the  apple  will,  after  a  certain  time,  decline  and  ac- 
tually die  away,  and  each  variety,  or  all  of  the  same 
stem  or  family,  will  lose  their  existence  in  vegeta- 
tion; yet,  after  the  debility  of  age  has  actually  taken 
possession  of  any  variety,  and  the  vital  principle  is 
nearly  exhausted,  a  superiour  care  and  warmth  will 
still  keep  the  variety  in  existence  some  time  longer. 
This,  he  observes,  is  an  abstruse  subject,  very  little 
understood,  and  requiring  at  first  some  degree  of 
faith,  observation,  and  perseverance.  Mr.  B.  is 
fully  convinced  that  we  have  the  power  of  multi- 
plying a  single  variety,  to  whatever  number  we 
please  ;  and  although  these  trees  may  amount  to 
millions,  yet,  on  the  death  of  the  primogeneous  or 
parent  stock,  merely  from  old  age  or  nihility  of 
growth,  each  individual  shall  decline,  in  whatever 
country  they  may  be,  or  however  endued  with  youth 
and  health.  Nothing  sublunary,  which  possesses 
either  animal  or  vegetable  life,  is  exempt  from  age 
and  death.  To  exemplify  this  point  more  intellio-i- 
bly,  let  it  be  supposed  that  the  Baldwin  apple  is  a 


28  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

new  variety  produced  from  the  seed.  This,  as  the 
original  stock,  may  continue  to  hve  one  hundred 
years.  A  scion,  taken  from  it  when  ten  years  old, 
may  live  ninety  years ;  another,  taken  ten  years  af- 
ter, may  enjoy  a  duration  of  eighty  years;  and  so 
progressively.  At  the  expiration  of  one  hundred 
years,  the  original  stock,  and  all  derivatives  from  it, 
will  become  extinct. 


METHOD  OF  FORCING  FRUIT  TREES  TO  BLOSSOM  AND 
BEAR  FRUIT. 

With  a  sharp  knife,  cut  a  ring  round  the  limb  or 
small  branch  which  you  wish  should  bear,  near  the 
stem  or  large  bough  where  it  is  joined ;  let  this  ring 
or  cut  penetrate  to  the  Avood.  A  quarter  of  an 
inch  from  this  cut,  make  a  second  like  the  first,  en- 
circling the  branch  like  a  ring  a  quarter  of  an  inch 
broad  between  tjie  two  cuts.  The  bark,  between 
these  two  cuts,  must  be  removed,  clean  down  to  the 
wood ;  even  the  fine  inner  bark,  which  lies  immedi- 
ately upon  the  wood,  must  be  scraped  away,  until 
the  bare  naked  wood  appears,  white  and  smooth, 
so  that  no  connexion  whatever  remains  between 
the  two  parts  of  the  bark.  This  barking,  or  gird- 
ling, must  be  made  at  the  precise  time  when,  in  all 
nature,  the  buds  are  strongly  swelling,  or  about 
breaking  out  into  blossoms.  In  the  same  year  a 
callus  is  formed  at  the  edges  of  the  ring,  on  both 
sides,  and  the  connexion  of  the  bark  is  again  restor- 
ed, without  any  detriment  to  the  tree  or  the  branch 
operated  upon.  By  this  simple  operation,  the  fol- 
lowing advantages  will  be  obtained  :  I.  Every 
young  tree,  of  which  you  do  not  know  the  sort,  is 
compelled  to  show  its  fruit,  and  decide  sooner  whe- 
ther it  may  remain  in  its  present  state,  or  requires 
to  be  grafted.  2.  You  may  thereby,  with  certain- 
ty, get  fruit  of  a  good  sort,  and  reject  the  more  or- 
dinary.    The  branches  so  operated  upon,  are  hung 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  29 

full  of  fruit,  while  others,  that  are  not  ringed,  often 
have  none  or  very  little  on  them.  This  effect  is 
explained  from  the  theory  of  the  motion  of  the  sap. 
As  this  ascends  in  the  wood  and  descends  in  the  bark, 
the  above  operation  will  not  prevent  the  sap  rising 
into  the  upper  part  of  the  branch,  but  it  will  pre- 
vent its  descending  below  this  cut,  by  which  means 
it  will  be  retained  in  and  distributed  through  the 
upper  part  of  the  branch  in  a  greater  portion  than 
it  could  otherwise  be,  and  the  brancli  and  fruit  will 
both  increase  in  size  much  more  than  those  that 
are  not  thus  treated.  The  twisting  of  a  wire  or 
tying  a  strong  thread  round  a  branch  has  been  often 
recommended  as  a  means  of  making  it  bear  fruit. 
In  this  case,  as  in  ringing  the  bark,  the  descent  of 
the  sap  in  the  bark  must  be  impeded  above  the 
ligature,  and  more  nutritive  matter  is  consequentl}' 
retained,  and  applied  to  the  expanding  parts.  The 
wire  or  ligature  may  remain  in  the  bark.  Mr. 
Knight's  theory,  on  the  motion  of  sap  in  trees,  is 
"that  the  sap  is  absorbed  from  the  soil  by  the  bark 
of  the  roots,  and  carried  upward  by  the  alburnum 
of  the  root,  trunk  and  branches;  that  it  passes 
through  the  central  vessels  into  the  succulent  mat- 
ter of  the  annual  shoots,  the  leaf-stalk  and  leaf; 
and  that  it  is  returned  to  the  bark  through  certain 
vessels  of  the  leaf-stalk,  and  descending  through  the 
bark,  contributes  to  the  process  of  forming  the 
wood.  A  writer  in  the  American  Farmer  says,  he 
tried  the  experiment  of  ringing  some  apple,  peach, 
pear,  and  quince  trees  on  small  limbs,  say  from  an 
mch  to  an  inch  and  a  quarter  in  diameter.  The 
result  was,  the  apples,  peaches,  and  pears  were  dou- 
ble the  size  on  those  branches,  than  on  any  other 
part  of  the  trees :  in  the  quinces  there  was  no  dif- 
ference. One  peach,  the  heath,  measured,  on  a 
ringed  limb,  in  circumference  Hi.  inches  round,  and 
lli  inches  round  the  ends,  and  Aveighed  15  ounces. 


30  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

The  limbs  above  the  ring  have  grown  much  larger 
than  below  it. 


NURSERY. 

It  has  been  a  received  opinion,  that  the  soil  for 
a  nursery  should  not  be  made  rich,  as  the  plants, 
when  removed  to  a  more  fertile  soil,  will  flourish 
more  luxuriantly ;  but  later  observation  has  decided 
that  the  reverse  of  this  will  be  found  correct.  There 
is  a  close  analogy  between  vegetable  and  animal 
life;  and  it  is  a  dictate  of  nature  that  both  require  a 
full  supply  of  nutriment  from  their  earliest  existence. 
It  Avould  be  absurd  to  suppose  that  the  tender  roots 
of  young  seedlings  are  capable  of  drawing  sufficient 
nutriment  from  a  rank,  barren,  and  uncultivated  soil, 
and  tliose  that  are  barely  supported,  or  nearly  starv- 
ed at  iirst,  will  never  afterwards  become  vigorous, 
stately  and  handsome,  though  surrounded  by  the 
richest  mould.  Repeated  experiments  have  prov- 
ed that  a  strong  and  vigorous  plant,  that  has  grown 
up  quickly,  and  arrived  at  a  considerable  magnitude 
in  a  short  time,  never  fails  to  grow  better  after 
transplanting,  than  another  of  the  same  size  that  is 
older  and  stinted  in  its  growth.  Where  the  soil  is 
poor  and  lean,  trees,  in  every  stage  of  growth,  are 
observed  to  be  languid,  weak,  and  stinted;  while 
those  reared  in  a  good  mellow  soil  always  assume  a 
free  growth,  and  advance  with  strength  and  vigour. 
It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  the  ground  to  be  occu- 
pied for  a  fruit  nursery,  requires  to  be  made  rich 
and  fertile.  The  soil  should  also  be  deep,  well 
pulverized,  and  cleared  of  all  roots  and  weeds.  The 
seeds  may  be  sown  either  in  autumn  or  in  April, 
and  in  one  year  after,  the  young  plants  may  be  taken 
up  and  replanted  in  the  nursury.  It  is  important 
that  the  situation  be  such  as  to  admit  of  a  free  cir- 
culation of  air,  and  open  to  the  sun,  that  the  plants 
may  be  preserved  in  a  healthy  condition.     Plants 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  31 

reared  in  a  confined  and  shaded  situation  in  a 
large  town,  and  removed  to  an  open  exposure  in  the 
country,  will  long  continue  in  a  debilitated  condition  ; 
like  a  puny  city  invalid,  their  growth  w  ill  be  great- 
ly impeded,  and  many  years  will  elapse  before  they 
attain  to  a  state  of  vigour,  health,  and  hardihood. 

From  the  observations  in  the  preceding  pages,  it 
is  obviously  important,  that  the  seed,  to  be  planted 
in  nurseries,  should  be  selected  from  fruit  of  a  su- 
periour  quality.  John  Kenrick,  esquire,  of  New- 
ton, Massachusetts,  has,  however,  adopted  the 
following  method.  Take  the  pumice  from  late- 
made  cider,  separate  the  seeds  by  means  of  a  rid- 
dle sieve,  mix  them  with  a  quantity  of  rich  loam 
sifted  fine ;  put  this  into  a  box  and  expose  it  to  the 
weather  during  winter.  In  April,  the  earth  and 
seeds  are  put  into  a  basket,  and  washed  until  the 
seeds  are  separated,  when  they  are  planted  in  a 
naturally  rich  soil,  thoroughly  pulverized,  and  well 
prepared  with  rotten  manure  and  leached  ashes. 
The  seeds  are  planted  in  straight,  parallel  rows, 
three  feet  apart,  and  about  two  inches  deep;  the 
plants,  if  too  thick,  may  be  thinned  to  about  six 
inches  apart,  by  pulling  up  the  feeblest.  The  plants 
should  be  kept  clear  of  weeds,  annually  manured, 
and  properly  pruned.  Young  trees  should  be  ef- 
fectually secured  from  sheep  and  horned  cattle,  in 
every  stage  of  their  growth. 

In  Marshall's  Rural  Economy  it  is  directed,  that 
the  seedling  plants,  when  taken  from  the  seed  bed, 
be  sorted  agreeably  to  the  strength  of  their  roots, 
that  they  may  rise  evenly  together.  The  tap,  or 
large  bottom  root,  should  be  taken  off,  and  the 
longer  side  rootlets  should  be  shortened.  The 
young  plants  should  then  be  set  in  rows,  three 
feet  apart,  and  from  fifteen  to  eighteen  inches  asun- 
der, in  the  rows  ;  care  being  taken  not  to  cramp 
the  roots,  but  to  bed  them  evenly  and  horizontally 
among  the  mould.       In  strictness   of  management, 


32  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

they  ought,  two  years  previous  to  their  being  trans- 
ferred to  the  orchard,  to  be  retransplanted  into 
immaniired  double  dug  ground,  four  feet  every  way 
apart,  in  order  that  the  feeding  fibres  may  be 
brought  so  near  the  stem,  that  they  may  be  re- 
moved with  it  into  the  orchard,  instead  of  being, 
as  they  generally  are,  left  behind  in  the  nursery, 
Hence,  in  this  second  transplanting,  as  in  the  first, 
the  branches  of  the  root  should  not  be  left  too  long, 
but  ought  to  be  shortened  m  such  a  manner  as  to 
induce  them  to  form  a  regular  globular  root,  suffi- 
ciently small  to  be  removed  with  their  plants,  yet 
sufficiently  large  to  give  it  firmness  and  vigour  in 
the  plantation.  It  is  reported,  that  the  agricultural 
society  of  JVova  Scotia  has  found,  by  experience, 
that  apple  trees,  raised  from  seeds,  if  transplanted 
from  the  seed  bed,  in  time,  (having  the  tap  root 
cut  oif,)  may  be  rendered  fit  for  grafting  one  or 
two  seasons  earlier  than  if  left  in  the  place  where 
the  seeds  were  sown.  While  in  the  nursery  bed, 
the  young  plants  require  to  be  frequently  hoed ;  the 
earth  should  be  kept  loose,  and  entirely  free  from 
weeds ;  and,  in  a  very  dry  season,  they  should  be 
occasionally  watered.  When  tv,o  years  old,  they 
will  be  in  a  proper  condition  to  receive  the  scions, 
or  buds,  which  are  intended  for  them,  as  the  ope- 
ration is  then  more  easy  and  certain  than  when  the 
stocks  are  older. 


ENGRAFTING. 

The  art  of  engrafting  has  not,  it  is  believed,  been 
traced  to  its  origin.  In  a  treatise,  published  by 
Parkinson,  in  1629,  both  grafting  and  inoculating 
are  mentioned,  but  the  period  when  the  practice 
commenced  has  not  been  ascertained.  The  great 
utility  and  advantage  of  the  art  is,  however,  uni- 
versally understood.  According  to  Mr.  Yates, 
(letter  published  in  Forsytli's  treatise.)  the  art  was 


OP   FRUIT   TREES.  33 

introduced  into  America  by  Mr.  Prince,  a  native  of 
New-York,  who  established  a  nursery  in  its  neigh- 
bourhood about  sixty  years  ago.  Fruit  trees,  which 
are  grafted  or  inoculated,  come  into  a  bearing  state 
several  years  sooner  than  those  produced  from 
seed ;  besides,  grafted  or  inoculated  trees  invaria- 
bly produce  the  same  kind  of  fruit  as  the  parent 
tree  from  which  the  scion  or  bud  is  taken,  while 
that  from  seedling  trees  is  liable  to  sport  in  endless 
varieties.  In  the  choice  of  scions  for  grafting,  the 
first  essential  requisite  is,  that  they  are  of  the  same 
genus  and  natural  family  with  the  stock  which  is  to 
become  their  foster  parent,  and  which  is  to  afford 
them  future  nourishment  and  support.  The  apple 
cannot  be  advantageously  engrafted  on  a  pear  stock, 
nor  will  a  pear  succeed  well  on  an  apple  stock :  for, 
although  it  may  flourish  and  bear  fruit  for  a  few 
years,  it  will  never  prove  a  profitable  tree,  and  will 
decline  and  decay  sooner  than  others.  Scions  from 
a  winter  apple  tree  should  not  be  grafted  on  a  sum- 
mer apple  stock,  because  the  sap  in  the  summer 
stock  is  liable  to  decline  and  diminish  before  the 
winter  fruit  has  become  fully  ripe.  In  the  memoirs 
of  the  American  academy  of  arts  and  sciences, 
volume  I,  page  388,  is  a  communication  from  the 
late  honourable  B.  Lincoln,  relative  to  the  ensrraft- 
ing  of  fruit  trees,  &;c.  m  which  he  says,  "  I  had 
observed,  for  a  number  of  years,  an  apple  tree  in 
my  orchard,  the  natural  fruit  of  which  was  early, 
having  been  grafted  with  a  winter  scion,  producing 
fruit  very  like  in  appearance  to  the  fruit  produced 
by  the  tree  whence  the  scion  was  taken,  but  desti- 
tute of  those  qualities  inherent  in  that  fruit,  and 
necessary  to  its  keeping  through  the  Avinter.  ■  This 
led  me  to  call  in  question  the  propriety  of  grafting 
winter  fruit  on  a  summer  stock,"  &c.  A  pear  is 
occasionally  engrafted  on  a  quince,  for  the  purpose 
of  dwarf  trees,  but  it  is  of  smaller  growth,  and  less 
vigorous  and  durable  than  if  nourished  by  its  more 
5 


34  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

natural   parent.      It  is  next  important,  that  scions 
be  taken  from  trees  that  have  attained   to  the  ma- 
turity of  full  bearing.     Perhaps  cultivators,  in  gene- 
ral, are  not  apprized  of  the  fact,  that,  if  a  scion  be 
taken  from  a  seedling  tree  of  one  or  two  years  old, 
it  will  retain  the  character  and  undergo  the  same 
annual  change  as  the  seedling  tree  itself,  whatever 
be  the  age  of  the  stock   into   which  it  is  inserted  ; 
and  that  it  will  remain  unproductive  of  fruit,  until 
the  seedling  tree  has  acquired  its   proper   age   and 
maturity.     It  is  strongly  to  be  suspected,  that  nur- 
sery men,  either  from   ignorance   or   indifference, 
have  disregarded   this  circumstance,   and  imposed 
upon  purchasers  trees  of  this  description,  by  which 
their  just    expectations   have    been   disappointed. 
Scions  are  directed  to  be  cut  in  March,  before  the 
buds  begin  to  swell ;   and  in  order  to  preserve  them 
in  good  condition  for  grafting,  they  must  be  placed, 
with  their  lower  ends  in  the  ground,  in  some  dry 
part  of  the  cellar,  till    wanted.      But   some  expe- 
rienced operators  prefer  cutting  their  scions  as  near 
the  time  they  are  to  be   employed  as  may  be  con- 
venient.    Scions  should  always  be  taken  from  the 
extremities  of  the   most  thrifty  and   best   bearing 
trees,  and   of  the  last  year's  growth,  except  only 
just  enough  of  the  growth   of  the  year  before    to 
fix  in  the  earth,  to  preserve  them  moist  until  they 
are  to  be  used.     In  the  Edinburgh  encyclopedia  it 
is  advised  to  cut  the   scions  several  weeks  before 
the  season  for  grafting  arrives ;  the  reason  is,  that 
experience  has  shown,  that  grafting  may  most  suc- 
cessfully be  performed,  by  allowing  the   stock  to 
have  some  advantage  over  the  graft  in  forwardrjess 
of  vegetation.      It  is  desirable,  that  the  sap  of  the 
stock  should   be   m   brisk   motion   at   the   time   of 
grafting  ;   but  by  this  tune,  the  buds  of  the  scion, 
if  left   on   the  tree,   would  be  equally  advanced  ; 
whereas  the  scions,  being  gathered  early,  the  buds 
arc  kept  back,  and  ready  only  to  sAvell  out,  when  th«. 


OF    FRUIT   TREES.  35 

graft  is  placed  on  the  stock.  The  selecting  proper 
scions,  the  writer  observes,  is  a  matter  of  the  great- 
est importance,  if  we  wish  to  enjoy  the  full  advan- 
tage which  may  be  derived  from  grafting.  They 
should  be  taken  from  a  healthy  tree  in  full  bearing, 
and  from  the  outer  side  of  the  horizontal  branches 
of  such  a  tree,  where  the  wood  has  freely  enjoyed 
the  benefit  of  sun  and  air.  If  the  tree  be  in  a  iux- 
uriant  state,  the  grafts  are  very  properly  taken  from 
the  extremities  of  bearing  branches  ;  but  if  it  be 
in  a  debilitated  condition,  the  most  healthy  shoots 
in  the  centre  of  the  tree  should  be  employed. 
The  extremity  of  the  scion  should  be  cut  off,  leaving 
four  or  five  eyes  or  buds,  as  the  middle  part  affords 
the  best  graft.  The  most  proper  season  for  grafting, 
in  our  climate,  is  from  about  the  twentieth  of  March, 
to  the  twentieth  of  May,  though  the  operation  has 
succeeded  well,  as  late  as  the  tenth  of  June,  provid- 
ed the  scions  have  been  properly  preserved.  Prac- 
tical gardeners,  it  is  said,  concur  in  stating,  that  the 
nature  of  fruit  is,  to  a  certain  extent,  affected  by 
the  nature  of  the  stock.  Crab  stocks,  for  example, 
cause  apples  to  be  firmer,  to  keep  longer,  and  to 
have  a  sharper  flavour.  Mr.  S.  Cooper,  of  New- 
Jersey,  expresses  himself  as  follows,  on  this  subject : 
(Dom.  Ency.  Mease's  edit.)  "  I  have,  in  numerous 
instances,  seen  the  stock  have  great  influence  on  the 
fruit  grafted  thereon,  in  respect  to  bearing,  size, 
and  flavour,  and  also  on  the  durability  of  the  tree, 
particularly  in  the  instance  of  a  number  of  Vande- 
vere  apple  trees;  the  fruit  of  which  was  so  subject 
to  the  bitter  rot  as  to  be  of  little  use.  They  were 
engrafted  fifty  years  ago,  and  ever  since  those  of 
them  having  tops  composed  of  several  different  kinds, 
though  they  continue  to  be  more  productive  of  fruit 
than  any  others  in  my  orchard,  yet  are  subject  to  the 
bitter  rot,  the  original  and  well  known  affection  of 
the  fruit  of  the  primitive  stock.  I  have  had  frequent 
opportunities  of  observing  the  same  circumstance,  in 


36  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

consequence  of  receiving  many  scions  from  my  friends, 
which,  after  bearing,  I  engrafted,  and  the  succeeding 
fruit  uniformly  partook,  in  some  degree,  of  the  quah- 
ties  of  the  former,  even  in  tlieir  disposition  to  bear 
annually  or  biennally."  Mr.  C.  has  ascertained  the 
fact  that  early  and  late  apples,  by  being  grafted  on 
the  same  tree,  improved  in  size  and  flavour  more 
than  if  but  one  kind  grew  on  a  tree.  It  should  be 
observed,  as  a  rule,  never  to  employ  suckers  from 
old  trees  as  stocks  for  grafts,  or  buds,  as  they  have 
a  constant  tendency  to  generate  suckers,  and  there- 
by injure  the  growth  of  the  trees. 

MODES  OF  GRAFTING. 

The  mode  of  performing  this  operation  is  varied, 
according  to  the  size  and  situation  of  the  stock  to  be 
employed.  The  small  stocks  in  the  nursery,  if  of 
such  kind  as  produce  an  erect  strong  stem,  are  usual- 
ly grafted  within  or  near  the  surface  of  the  earth, 
in  which  case,  the  mould  is  brought  round  them  in 
the  form  of  a  little  hillock,  and  nothing  more  is  re- 
quired. When  the  stock  is  naturally  inclined  to 
branch  out  horizontally,  the  preferable  mode  is  to 
insert  the  bud  or  graft  high  enough  to  form  a  hand- 
some head  or  top.  In  this  mode  of  operating,  it  is 
necessary  to  employ  some  kind  of  composition  or 
covering  in  order  to  secure  from  injury  by  the 
weather,  or  influence  of  the  sun.  The  following  is 
commonly  used  :  A  quantity  of  clay  or  stifl'loam  is 
to  be  worked  fine  and  mixed  with  some  chopped 
hay  or  coarse  horse-dung.  It  should  be  prepared  a 
day  or  two  before  hand,  and  be  beat  up  with  a  little 
water  as  needed.  This  should  be  applied  closely 
round  the  parts  in  the  form  of  a  collar,  or  ball,  ta- 
pering at  both  ends,  the  upper  end  being  applied 
closely  to  the  graft,  and  the  under  to  the  stock.  A 
good  substitute  for  the  above  is  a  composition  of 
turpentine,  bees-wax  and  rosin  melted  together ;  if 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  37 

it  prove  too  hard,  it  may  be  softened  with  a  little 
hog's  lard  or  tallow.  This  may  be  applied  with  a 
brush  while  warm,  but  not  too  hot.  A  common 
sod,  applied  with  the  grass  side  out,  is  often  em- 
ployed, and  is  found  to  answer  every  purpose.  There 
are  several  different  methods  of  performing  the 
operation  of  grafting,  in  all  which,  it  should  be  a 
general  rule  to  adjust  the  inner  bark  of  the  stock 
and  of  the  scion  in  close  contact,  and  to  confine  them 
precisely  in  that  situation.  If  this  be  accurately 
effected,  all  species  of  grafting  will  prove  successful. 
In  that  method  which  is  usually  called  whip-graft- 
ing^or  tongue-grafting,  the  top  of  the  stock  and  the 
extremity  of  the  graft  should  be  nearly  of  equal  di- 
ameter. They  are  both  to  be  sloped  of  a  full  inch 
or  more,  and  then  tied  closely  together.  This  me- 
thod may  be  much  improved,  by  performing  what 
gardeners  call  tongneing  or  lipping  ;  that  is,  by  mak- 
ing an  incision  in  the  bare  part  of  the  stock,  down- 
wards, and  a  corresponding  slit  in  the  scion,  upwards; 
after  which  they  are  to  be  carefully  joined  together, 
so  that  the  barks  of  both  may  meet  in  every  part, 
when  a  bandage  of  bass  wood  is  to  be  tied  round 
the  scion,  to  prevent  it  from  being  displaced ;  and 
the  whole  is  to  be  covered  over  with  tne  composi- 
tion. When  the  stocks  to  be  grafted  upon  are  from 
one  to  two  or  more  inches  in  diameter,  as  branches 
of  trees,  cleft-grafting  is  generally  employed.  The 
head  of  the  stock  or  branch  being  carefully  cut  off 
in  a  sloping  direction,  a  perpendicular  cleft  or  slit  is 
to  be  made,  about  two  inches  deep,  with  a  knife  or 
chisel,  towards  the  back  of  the  slope,  into  which  a 
wedge  is  to  be  driven,  in  order  to  keep  it  open  for 
the  admission  of  the  scion.  The  latter  must  now 
be  cut  in  a  perpendicular  direction,  and  in  the  form 
of  a  wedge,  so  as  to  fit  the  incision  in  the  stock.  As 
soon  as  it  is  prepared,  it  should  be  placed  in  the 
cleft  in  such  manner  that  the  inner  bark  of  both  the 
stock  and  scion  may  meet  exactly  together.     It  is 


38  CVLTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

then  to  be  tied  with  a  hgature  of  bass,  and  clayed 
over,  as  is  practised  in  whipgrafting,  three  or  four 
cjes  being  left  in  the  scion  uncovered.  It  should 
be  observed,  that  in  making  the  cleft  in  the  stock, 
care  should  be  taken  not  to  injure  the  pith,  the  sci- 
ons being  inserted  in  the  sap  wood  of  the  stock  or 
branch.  Old  stocks  may  be  grafted  in  the  bark, 
called  crown-graftings  but  this  cannot  be  practised 
isuccessfully  till  the  sap  be  in  full  motion,  that  the 
bark  may  be  easily  raised  from  the  wood.  The 
head  of  the  stock  or  thick  branch  is  cut  off  hori- 
zontally ;  a  perpendicular  slit  is  made  in  the  bark, 
as  in  budding ;  a  narrow  ivory  folder  is  thrust  down 
between  the  wood  and  the  bark,  in  the  places  where 
the  grafts  are  to  be  inserted.  The  graft  is  cut,  at 
the  distance  of  an  inch  and  a  half  from  its  extremi- 
ty, circularly  through  the  bark,  not  deeper  than 
the  bark  on  one  side,  but  fully  half  way  through  or 
beyond  the  pith  on  the  other.  The  grafts  being 
pointed,  and  a  shoulder  left  to  rest  on  the  bark  of 
the  stock,  they  are  inserted  into  the  openings,  and 
either  three  or  four  grafts  are  employed,  according 
to  the  size  of  the  crown.  Side-grafting  is  some- 
times employed  for  supplying  vacancies  on  the  lower 
f)arts  of  full-grown  fruit  trees.  The  bark  and  a 
ittle  of  the  wood  are  sloped  off  for  the  space  of  an 
inch  and  a  half,  or  two  inches;  a  slit  is  then  made 
downwards,  and  a  graft  is  cut  to  fit  the  part,  with 
a  tongue  for  ihe  slit ;  the  parts,  being  properly 
joined,  are  tied  close  and  clayed  over.  When  stocks 
cannot  readily  be  procured,  root-grafting  may  be 
successfully  employed.  A  piece  of  the  root  of  a 
tree  of  the  same  genus,  well  furnished  with  fibres, 
is  selected,  and  a  graft  placed  on  it,  tied  and  clayed 
in  the  ordinary  way.  Thus  united,  they  are  set 
with  care  in  a  trench  in  the  ground,  the  joining  be- 
ing covered,  but  the  top  of  the  graft  being  left  two 
inches  above  ground. 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  W 

"The  following  new  mode  of  grafting,"  says  Dr. 
Mease,  (Dom.  Ency.)  "  the  late  Mr.  A.  C.  Du  Plaine 
informed  the  editor,  was  long   kept  a   secret   in 
France.     A  limb  of  willow,  three  or  four  inches 
thick,  was  buried  in  a  trench  deep  enough   to  re- 
ceive it,  and  at  the  distance  of  every  four  or  five 
inches,  holes  were   bored,  into  which  grafts   were 
inserted,  care  being  taken  to  make  the  bark  of  the 
graft,  and  the  limb  into  which  it  was  inserted  touch ; 
the  lower  part  of  the  graft  w^as  pointed  and  the 
bark   shaved  off.     The  limb  and   the  grafts  were 
then  covered  with  earth  and  kept  moist,  and  about 
two  inches  of  the  latter  left  above  the  surface.     In 
process  of  time  the  limb  rotted,  and  the  grafts  took 
root.     The  different  grafts  were  then  dug  up  and 
transplanted."     In   the  same  valuable  publication, 
Dr.  Mease  has   communicated  an  account  of  the 
mode  of  Mr.  William  Fairman,  of  "  extreme-branch 
grafting,''^  upon  old  decayed  trees,  "  which  promises 
to  be  of  a  very  great  acquisition  to  those  who  take 
pleasure  in  cultivating  fruit."     The  process   is  as 
follows:  "Cut  away  all  spray  wood,  and  make  the 
tree    a  perfect  skeleton,  leaving   all  the    healthy 
limbs ;  then  clean  the  branches,  and  cut  the  top  of 
each  off,  where  it  would  measure  in  circumference 
from  the  size  of  a  shilling  to  about  that  of  a  crown 
piece.     Some  of  the  branches  must  of  course   be 
taken  ofT  where  they  are   a  little  larger,  and  some 
smaller,  to  preserve  the  canopy  or  head  of  the  tree ; 
and  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  out  the  branches 
which  cross   others,  and  observe  the  arms  are  left 
to  fork  off,  so  that  no  considerable  opening  is  to  be 
perceived  when  you  stand  under  the  tree,  but  that 
ihey  may  represent  a  uniform  head.      When   pre- 
paring the  tree,  leave  the  branches  sufliciently  lono- 
to  allow  of  two  or  three  inches  to  be  taken  off  by 
the  saw,  that  all  the  splintered  parts   may  be  re- 
moved.    The  tree  being  thus  prepared,  put  in  one 
©r  two  grafts  at  the  extremity  of  each  branch,  and 


40  CULTURE   AND    MANAGEMENT 

put  on  the  cement  or  composition,  and  tie  with  bass 
or  soft  strings.  Sever  the  shoots  or  suckers  from 
the  tree  until  the  succeeding  spring.  To  make  good 
the  deficiency  in  case  some  grafts  do  not  succeed, 
additional  grafts  may  be  inserted  in  the  sides  of  the 
branches,  or  where  they  are  wanted  to  form  the 
tree  into  a  handsome  shape." 

BUDDING,  OR  INOCULATING. 

By  the  process  of  budding,  we  obtain  the  same 
result  as  in  grafting;  with  this  difference,  however, 
the  bud  being  a  shoot  in  embryo,  grafted  trees 
usually  produce  fruit  two  seasons  earlier  than  bud- 
ded trees.  Each  bud  may  be  considered  a  distinct 
being,  which  will  form  a  plant  retaining  precisely 
the  peculiarities  of  the  parent  stock;  and  five  or 
six  species  of  fruit  may  be  budded  on  one  tree, 
which,  when  attained  to  the  maturity  of  bearing 
fruit,  exhibit  a  singular  and  beautiful  spectacle. 
Buds  are  formed  at  the  bases  of  the  foot  stalks  of 
the  leaves,  and  are  of  two  kinds,  those  Avhich  bear 
leaves,  and  those  which  bear  flowers.  The  leaf 
buds  are  small,  long,  and  pointed  ;  the  flower  buds 
are  thick,  short,  and  round.  Both  leaves  and  flow- 
ers are  sometimes  produced  by  the  same  bud,  and 
they  are  generally  employed,  in  budding,  without 
distinction ;  but  the  bud  should  always  be  of  the 
same  genus  with  the  tree  or  branch,  which  is  to 
receive  it.  The  blossom  buds  are  formed  by  the 
first  sap  between  April  and  June,  and  are  filled 
by  the  second  sap  between  July  and  October. 
The  proper  season  for  budding,  is  from  the  begin- 
nino-  of  July  to  the  end  of  August,  at  which  period 
the  buds  for  next  year  are  completely  formed  in 
the  axilla  of  the  leaf  of  the  present  year,  and  they 
are  known  to  be  ready,  from  their  easily  parting 
from  the  wood.  The  buds  preferred,  are  the 
shortest  observed  on  the  middle  of  a  young  shoot, 


OP   FRUIT   TREES.  41 

on  the  outside  of  a  healthy  and  fruitful  tree  ;  on  no 
account  should  an  immature  tree,  or  a  bad  bearer, 
be  resorted  to  for  buds.     For  gathering  the  shoots 
containing  the  buds,  a  cloudy  day,  or  an  early  or 
late  hour,  is  chosen,  it   being  thought  that  shoots, 
gathered  in  full  sunshine,  perspire  so  much  as  to 
drain  the   moisture  from    the  buds.      The   buds 
should  be  used  as  soon  after  being  gathered  as  pos- 
sible, and  the  whole   operation  should  be  xjuickly 
performed.     In  taking  off  the  bud  from  the  twig, 
the  knife  is  inserted  about  half  an  inch  above  it, 
and  a  thin  slice  of  the  bark,  and  wood  along  with 
it,  taken  off,  bringing  out  the  knife  about  an  inch 
and  a  half  below  the  bud.     This  lower  part  is  af- 
terwards shortened  and  dressed,  and  the  leaf  is  cut 
off,  the  stalk  being  left  about  half  an  inch  long. 
Perhaps  it  is  better  to  insert  the  knife  three  quar- 
ters of  an  inch  beloio  the  bud,  and  to  cut  upwards ; 
at  least,  this  mode  is  practised  in  the  Scottish  nur- 
series.    The  portion  of  wood  is  then  taken  out  by 
raising  it  from  the  bark,  and  pulling  it  downwards 
or  upwards,  according  as  the  cut  has  been  made 
from  above   or   below.     If  the  extraction  of  the 
wood  occasion  a  hole  at  the  bud,  that  bud  is  spoilt, 
and  another  must  be  prepared  in  its  stead ;  as  gar- 
deners speak,  the  root  of  the  bud  has  gone  with 
the    wood,    instead    of  remaining  with  the   bark. 
For  the  performance    of  the  operation,  provide  a 
sharp  budding-knife,  with  a  flat  thin  haft,  of  ivory, 
suitable  to  open  the  bark  of  the  stock  for  the  ad- 
mission of  the  bud,  and  also  with  a  quantity  of  bass 
strings,  or  shreds  of  Russian  mats,  or  woollen  yarn, 
to  bind  round  it  when  inserted.     On  a  smooth  part 
of  the  bark  of  the  stock  a  transverse  section  is  now 
made  through  the  bark  down  to  the  wood;  from 
this  is  made  a  longitudinal  cut  downward,  about  an 
inch  and  a  half  long^,  so  that  the  incision  may  some- 
what resemble  a  Roman  T ;  by  means  of  the  flat 
ivory  haft  of  the  budding-knife  the  bark  is  raised 
6 


'42  CULTURE-  AND   MANAGEMENT 

a  little  on  each  side  of  the  longitudinal  incision,  so 
as  to  receive  the  bud.  The  prepared  bud  is 
placed  in  the  upper  part  of  the  incision  so  made, 
and  drawn  downwards ;  the  upper  part  is  then  cut 
oif  transversely,  and  the  bud  pushed  upwards  till 
the  bark  of  the  bud  and  of  the  stock  join  together. 
It  is  retained  in  this  situation  by  means  of  tying 
with  strands  of  bass,  matting,  or  woollen  yarn,  ap- 
plied in  such  manner  as  to  defend  the  whole  from 
the  air  and  sun,  but  leaving  the  leaf  stalk,  and  the 
projecting  part  of  the  bark,  uncovered.  In  about 
a  month  after  the  operation,  the  tying  is  slacken- 
ed ;  buds,  that  have  taken,  appear  swelled,  and  the 
foot  stalk  of  the  old  leaf  falls  off  on  being  slightly 
touched.  All  shoots  that  spring  below  the  budded 
part  are  carefully  cut  oif.  The  head  of  the  stock 
is  not  removed  till  the  following  March  ;  after  this, 
the  bud  grows  vigorously,  and,  in  the  course  of  the 
summer,  makes  a  considerable  shoot.  Against  the 
next  spring,  the  shoot  is  headed  down  in  the  man- 
ner of  young  grafted  trees. 

According  to  the  improved  mode  of  Mr.  Knight, 
the  operation  of  budding  is  thus  performed.  In 
the  month  of  June,  when  the  buds  are  in  a  proper 
state,  the  operation  is  performed  by  employing 
two  distinct  ligatures  to  hold  the  buds  in  their 
places ;  one  ligature  is  first  placed  above  the  bud 
inserted,  and  upon  the  transverse  section  through 
the  bark ;  the  other,  the  only  otfice  of  which  is 
to  secure  the  bud,  is  applied  in  the  usual  way;  as 
soon  as  the  buds  have  attached  themselves,  the 
lower  ligatures  are  taken  off,  but  the  others  are 
suffered  to  remain.  The  passage  of  the  sap  up- 
wards, is,  in  consequence,  much  obstructed,  and  the 
inserted  buds  begin  to  vegetate  strongly.  In  July; 
when  these  afford  shoots  about  four  inches  long, 
the  upper  ligatures  are  taken  off  to  permit  the  ex- 
cess of  sap  to  pass  on ;  the  wood  ripens  well,  and 
affords   blossoms,   sometimes,   for   the   succeeding 


OF    FRUIT   TREES,  H% 

spring.  It  will  be  perceived,  that  instead  of  the 
usual  mode  of  budding,  after  the  commencement  of 
the  autumnal  flow  of  sap,  and  keeping  the  bud 
without  shooting  until  the  following  spring,  when 
the  top  of  the  stock  is  cut  off,  this  improved  mode 
gains  a  season  in  point  of  maturity,  if  not  of  growth, 
and  has  the  effect  of  grafting  the  preceding  spring, 
in  all  cases  where  the  bud  sprouts  in  proper  time 
to  form  a  strong  shoot,  capable  of  sustaining,  with- 
out injury,  the  frost  of  the  ensuing  winter. 

ANOTHER  METHOD  OF  BUDDING. 

The  common  method  of  budding  fruit  trees,  is, 
by  cutting  crosswise  into  the  bark  of  the  stem,  and 
making  a  perpendicular  cut  from  thence  down- 
ivards :  the  bud  is  then  made  to  descend  to  the  po- 
sition intended  for  it.  The  reverse  of  this  ought 
to  happen;  the  perpendicular  cut  should  rise  up- 
wards. This  last  method  rarely  fails  of  success. 
The  reason  is  derived  from  the  fact,  that  the  sap 
descends  by  the  bark,  instead  of  rising;  whence  the 
bud,  if  placed  above  the  transverse  cut,  receives 
abundance  of  sap,  which  it  loses,  if  placed  below  it. 
The  incision,  which  is  to  receive  the  bud,  should 
resemble  the  capital,  inverted,  thus,  x?  and  the 
barks  should  be  adjusted  accordingly.  It  is  assert- 
ed by  Mr.  Forsyth,  that  whenever  an  incision  is 
made  for  budding,  or  grafting,  the  parts  about  the 
incision  are  very  liable  to  be  affected  with  the 
canker.  As  a  preventive  and  curative  remedy,  he 
strongly  recommends,  as  soon  as  the  incision  is 
made,  and  the  bud  or  graft  inserted,  to  rub  in  with 
the  finger  or  brush,  some  of  his  composition,  before 
the  bass  strings  are  tied  on ;  then  cover  the  bass 
strings  all  over  with  the  composition,  as  thick 
as  it  can  be  laid  on  with  a  brush ;  and  this,  he 
thinks,  is  preferable  to  clay.  It  should  be  ob- 
served as  a  rule,  not  to  slacken,  too  soon,  the  bass 


4#-  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

strings,  which  are  wrapped  round  the  bud ;  and  if 
the  bark  of  the  stock  is  found  spreading  open,  the 
ligature  must  be  carefully  tightened,  and  suifered 
to  remain  some  time  longer.  Mr.  Yates,  of  Alba- 
ny, says,  that  to  satisfy  his  curiosity,  he  made  the 
experiment  of  budding  in  the  spring,  when  the  sap 
juice  is  in  full  motion,  and  found  it  to  succeed ;  but 
the  insertion  of  the  bud  is  more  difficult  than  to  do 
it  in  the  summer  season.  A  tree  thus  inoculated, 
will  bear  fruit  one  year  sooner  than  one  budded  in 
the  next  summer  season,  and  as  soon  as  one  budded 
the  summer  preceding. 

NURSERY  PRUNING. 

Young  trees  properly  pruned  in  the  nursery,  will, 
it  is  said,  come  to  bearing  sooner,  and  continue  in 
vigour  for  nearly  double  the  common  time.  All 
superfluous  or  rambling  branches  should  be  taken 
on  annually,  and  only  three  or  four  leading  shoots 
be  left  to  every  head.  Thus  managed,  the  trees 
will  not  require  to  be  lopped  for  a  considerable 
time ;  and  as  they  will  have  no  wounds  open  in  the 
year  when  transplanted,  their  growth  will  be  great- 
ly promoted.  The  more  the  range  of  branches 
shoots  circularly,  inclining  upwards,  the  more  equal- 
ly will  the  sap  be  distributed,  and  the  better  the  tree 
bear.  Mr.  Cooper,  a  very  intelligent  cultivator,  re- 
marks, that  the  side  shoots  should  not  be  cut  close 
to  the  stem,  as  the  whole  growth  is  thereby  forced 
to  the  top,  which  becomes  so  weighty  as  to  bend 
and  spoil  the  tree.  A  better  method  is,  to  cut  the 
ends  of  the  side  shoots  so  as  to  keep  the  tree  in  a 
spiral  form,  which  will  encourage  the  growth  of  the 
trunk,  until  it  acquires  strength  to  support  a  good 
top.  The  side  shoots  may  then  be  cut  close.  In 
forming  the  top,  Mr.  C.  has  found  it  necessary  to 
lighten  the  east  and  northeast  sides,  as  fruit  trees 
generally  incline  that  way;   and  to  encourage  the 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  45 

branches  on  the  opposite  quarters,  to  keep  the  sun 
from  the  trunk ;  otherwise,  the  rays  of  that  lumina- 
ry, when  striking  at  nearly  right  angles,  will  kill  the 
bark,  bring  on  canker,  and  ruin  the  tree.  In  Mar- 
shal's Rural  Economy,  we  have  the  following  di- 
rections. In  pruning  the  plants,  the  leading  shoot 
should  be  particularly  attended  to.  If  it  shoot 
double,  the  weaker  of  the  contending  branches 
should  be  taken  off.  If  the  leader  be  lost  and  not 
easily  recoverable,  the  plant  should  be  cut  down  to 
within  a  hand's  breadth  of  the  soil,  and  a  fresh  stem 
trained.  Next  to  the  leader,  the  stem  boughs  re- 
quire attention.  The  undermost  boughs  should  be 
taken  off  by  degrees ;  going  over  the  plants  every 
winter;  always  cautiously  preserving  sufficient  heads 
to  draw  up  the  sap,  thereby  giving  strength  to  the 
stems,  and  vigour  to  the  roots  and  branches ;  not 
trimming  them  up  to  naked  stems,  as  is  the  common 
practice,  thereby  drawing  them  up  prematurely  tall 
and  feeble  in  the  lower  part  of  the  stems.  The 
thickness  of  the  stem  ought  to  be  in  proportion  to 
its  height ;  a  tall  stock  therefore  requires  to  remain 
longer  in  the  nursery  than  a  low  one.  We  have 
the  respectable  authority  of  Mr.  T.  Pickering,  that 
such  trees  as  are  tall  should  be  cut  down  close  to 
the  ground,  to  prevent  their  being  shaken  by  the 
wind,  and  to  promote  their  growth.  It  may  seem 
strange,  he  observes,  to  advise  the  cutting  down  a 
tall,  well-grown  plant,  yet  it  is  necessary ;  for  the 
roots  are  always  hurt  and  shortened  by  the  remov- 
al ;  it  is  impossible  for  those  that  remain,  to  nourish 
the  same  body ;  this  is  the  reason  we  so  often  find 
our  trees  dead  at  top  and  hide-bound.  Should  my 
directions,  he  says,  be  followed,  which  are  from 
thirty  years  experience,  such  vigorous  shoots  will 
spring  up,  as  will  in  ten  years  become  much  larger 
trees  than  if  they  had  stood  uncut  for  forty  years ; 
and  the  bark  and  every  appearance  of  the  tree  will 
be  like  one  from  the  seed,  and  much  trouble  will  be 


46  CULTURE   AND   MANAGEMENT 

saved  in  staking,  to  prevent  their  ruin  from  the 
wind.  This  method  has  not,  we  beheve,  been  very 
frequently  adopted,  although  recommended  by  other 
cultivators  beside  the  venerable  author  just  cited, 
the  result  of  whose  long  experience,  and  the  reasons 
assigned  for  the  practice,  must  be  deemed  satisfac- 
tory. It  has  been  stated  by  an  English  author,  that 
when  young  trees  are  planted  out  from  the  nursery, 
as  soon  as  they  begin  to  break  in  the  spring,  they 
are  to  be  cut  down  to  three  or  four  eyes,  according 
to  their  strength,  to  furnish  them  with  bearing 
wood.  If  this  were  not  done,  they  would  run  up  in 
long  naked  branches,  and  would  not  produce  one 
quarter  of  the  fruit  which  they  would  when  this  is 
properly  performed. 


ORCHARD.     PLANTING  AND  CULTURE. 

It  is  an  object  of  no  inconsiderable  importance  to 
select  the  most  eligible  soil,  situation  and  aspect  for 
laying  out  a  fruit  orchard.  With  respect  to  soil,  it 
should  be  of  a  rich  loamy  nature,  neither  too  wet 
or  heavy,  nor  too  light  or  dry.  Those  fertile  fields 
or  pastures  which  produce  abundant  crops  of  corn, 
grass,  and  other  vegetables,  will  in  general  be  found 
well  adapted  to  the  growth  of  fruit  trees.  But  in 
all  cases,  the  soil  should  be  suited  to  the  particular 
kind  of  fruit.  In  Herefordshire,  a  celebrated  cider 
county,  in  England,  it  is  said  to  be  a  fact  well  ascer- 
tained, that  scions  from  the  same  tree,  grafted  upon 
similar  stocks,  and  planted  in  different  soils,  will 
produce  cider  of  different  qualities.  It  is  also  found 
that  the  early  fruits  obtain  the  greatest  perfection 
in  a  sandy  soil,  and  that  the  late  fruits  succeed  best 
when  planted  in  a  strong  clay.  The  best  cider  or- 
chards are  on  a  strong  clayey  soil ;  for  it  seems  to 
be  admitted  that  the  cider  from  trees  in  clay  is 
stronger,  and  will  keep  better,  than  cider  made  from 
trees  on  a  sandy  soil.     But  again,  as  applicable  to 


OF  FRUIT  TREES,  47 

our  own  country.  "  The  choice  of  a  proper  soil 
and  exposure,"  says  Dr.  Mease,  (Dom.  Ency.)  "  is 
not  sufficiently  attended  to  in  the  United  States. 
Mr.  Riley,  of  Marcus  Hook,  whose  experience  in 
cider  is  inferiour  to  none,  assures  the  editor,  that 
apples  growing  in  a  good  loose  soil,  produce  much 
more  rich  and  generous  liquor  than  those  that  grow 
in  a  stiff  clayey  land."  An  orchard,  says  an  English 
writer,  should  rather  be  elevated  than  low,  as  on  a 
gentle  declivity  open  to  the  south,  and  southeast, 
to  give  free  admission  to  the  air  and  rays  of  the 
sun,  as  well  as  to  dry  up  the  damp,  and  dissipate 
fogs,  in  order  to  render  the  trees  healthy,  and  give 
a  line  flavour  to  the  fruit.  It  should  likewise  be 
well  sheltered  from  the  east,  north,  and  westerly 
winds.  The  blossoms  of  apple  trees  are  liable  to 
be  injured  by  spring  frosts,  when  the  trees  are 
planted  in  the  lowest  parts  of  a  confined  valley.  In 
the  domestick  encyclopedia.  Dr.  Mease  has  inserted 
an  excellent  paper  on  the  climate  of  the  United 
States,  by  colonel  Tatham,  from  which  I  extract  as 
follows.  "  It  is  a  fact  that  in  those  western  parts 
of  the  United  States,  which  have  a  high  exposure 
to  the  winter's  blast,  the  northern  sides  of  a  rid2:e 
or  mountam  arrive  sooner  and  more  certainly  at  a 
state  of  perfect  vegetation,  than  the  south  sides, 
which  are  laid  open  to  the  power  of  the  sun.  I 
account  for  this  phenomenon  as  follows :  I  suppose 
that  the  southern  exposure  to  the  vehement  rays 
of  the  sun,  during  the  infant  stages  of  vegetation, 
puts  the  sap  in  motion  at  too  early  a  period  of  the 
spring,  before  the  season  has  become  sufficiently 
steady  to  afford  nurture  and  protection  to  the  vege- 
tating plant,  blossom  or  leaf;  and  when  in  this  state, 
the  first  efforts  of  vegetation  are  checked  by  the 
chilling  influence  of  cold  nights,  and  such  changeable 
weather  as  the  contest  between  winter  and  spring 
is  ever  ready  to  produce,  in  their  apparent  strug- 
gles to  govern   the  season.     On  the  contrary,  the 


48  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEIVIENT 

northern  exposures,  which  are  not  so  early  present- 
ed to  the  vivifying  influence  of  the  sun,  remain,  as 
it  were,  in  a  torpid  state  until  the  more  advanced 
period  of  the  spring,  when  all  danger  of  vegetation 
being  checked,  is  over."  I  have  long  entertained 
the  opinion,  says  Mr.  Yates,  that  an  orchard,  expos- 
ed to  the  north,  where  the  ground  in  the  spring  of 
the  year  continues  longer  bound  by  frost,  which  re- 
tards the  vegetation,  would  be  preferable  to  one 
bearing  an  easterly  or  southern  aspect,  where  the 
sap-juice  is  sooner  in  motion,  and  accelerated  by 
the  rays  of  the  sun.  The  rows  of  trees  in  an  or- 
chard ought  to  incline  to  a  point  of  compass  towards 
the  east ;  because  tlie  sun  will  shine  upon  them  early 
in  the  forenoon,  and  thus  dissipate  the  vapours 
which  arise  during  the  vernal  nights,  and  stint  the 
fruit  in  the  earlier  stasres  of  its  g^rowth.  The  trees 
should  be  arranged  in  uniform  straight  rows,  as  be- 
ing most  convenient  to  the  husbandman,  and  at  the 
same  time  exhibiting  the  most  pleasing  view  to  the 
tasteful  eye.  The  distance  in  the  rows  or  squares, 
will  depend  on  the  size  and  form  of  the  full  grown 
tree,  and  on  various  other  circumstances  connected 
with  the  future  intentions  arid  views  of  the  proprie- 
tor. In  every  instance,  however,  the  distance  should 
be  such  as  to  prevent  the  extreme  branches  from 
locking  into  each  other  when  attained  to  full  matu- 
rity of  growth.  Miller,  an  experienced  English 
hortlculturalist,  says,  when  the  soil  is  good,  the  dis- 
tance should  be  fifty  or  sixty  i'eet,  and  where  the 
soil  is  not  so  good,  forty  feet  may  be  sufficient. 
Lawson,  who  wrote  in  162(5,  observes,  that  in  a 
good  soil  and  under  proper  management,  apple  trees 
will,  in  forty  or  fifty  years,  spread  twelve  yards 
on  each  side ;  and  the  adjoining  tree  spreading 
as  much,  gives  twenty-four  yards,  or  seventy-two 
feet,  and  the  roots  will  extend  still  further.  He 
therefore  recommends  that  apple  trees  be  set  at 
the  distance  of  eighty  feet  from  each  other.     The 


•'■      OP  FRUIT  TREfiS.  -fS^ 

advantages  of  thin  planting  are  said  to  be:  1.  The 
sun  refreshes  every  tree,  the  roots,  body,  and  bran- 
ches, with  the  blossoms  and  fruit,  whereby  the  trees 
are  more  productive,  and  the  fruit  larger,  fairer  and 
better  flavoured.  2.  The  trees  grow  larger,  and 
are  more  healthy  and  durable.  3.  When  trees  are 
planted  too  near,  the  lower  branches  are  smother- 
ed for  want  of  sun  and  air,  the  fruit  is  never  well 
flavoured,  and  always  small.  The  object  is  fruit, 
and  we  are  not  to  expect  that  the  quantity  will  be 
in  proportion  to  the  number  of  trees  in  an  orchard, 
for  a  few  trees  of  a  large  size  will  produce  more 
and  better  fruit,  than  six  or  eight  times  the  number 
of  those  which  grow  near  and  ci'owd  one  another. 
Again,  apples  are  not  to  be  estimated  according  to 
their  number  only,  but  their  size  and  weight,  as  well 
as  their  superiour  flavour.  Another  advantage  is 
the  profit  of  cultivating  the  ground  under  and  about 
the  trees.  The  intervening  spaces  may  be  culti- 
vated  with  various  vegetables,  or  if  preferred,  they 
may  be  filled  with  some  temporary  trees  of  small 
growth,  as  dwarfs,  which  may  be  removed  when 
the  principal  standards  have  attained  to  a  large 
size.  Many  apple  trees  have  borne  fruit  for  more 
than  a  century;  and  when  trees  show  signs  of  decay 
at  the  age  of  thirty  or  forty  years,  it  is  in  general 
to  be  attributed  to  mismanagement,  and  probably 
to  close  planting.  Every  cultivator  must  have  ex- 
perienced the  great  inconvenience  occasioned  by 
narrow  and  crowded  intervals.  When  apple  trees 
stand  at  the  distance  of  twenty-five  or  thirty  feet 
only,  their  horizontal  branches  will,  as  we  frequent- 
ly see,  in  fifteen  or  twenty  years  interlope  each 
other,  and  almost  entirely  obstruct  the  intervals  be- 
tween them.  Taking  into  view,  therefore,  the  fore- 
going particulars,  the  cultivator,  in  planting  a  young 
orchard,  will  determine  for  himself  the  most  con- 
venient and  suitable  width  of  the  intervals  between 
his  trees.  The  most  generally  approved  distance 
7 


50  CULTURE   AND    MANAGEMENT 

is  forty  feet  in  all  directions,  and  this  gives  twenty- 
seven  trees  to  an  acre,  while  at  thirty  feet  apart, 
an  acre  will  contain  forty-eight  trees,  and  at  thirty- 
five  feet  distance,  thirty-five  trees  occupy  an  acre. 
With   respect    to  the    most  proper  season  for 
planting  apple  trees  in  the  United  States,  different 
opinions  prevail.      According  to   Dr.    Mease,   no 
general  rule   can  be  given,  owing  to  the  immense 
variety  of  climates  with  which  we    are   favoured. 
In  sonje  states,  the  autumn  may  be  best,  while  in 
others,  in  Pennsylvania,  it  is  probable  that  early  in 
the  spring  answers  best.     Indeed,  in  a  comparative 
experiment  of  spring  and  autumn   planting,  made 
near  Philadelphia,  in  1802-3,  the   advantage  was 
considerably  in  favour  of  those   put  down  in  the 
spring.     Some,  planted  in  autumn,  were  from  a  nur- 
sery near  the  city,  and  nearly  all  died ;  another  par- 
cel, from   the  excellent  nursery  of  Mr.  Prince,  of 
Flushing,  Long  Island,  arrived  late  in  April,  and  all 
survived.     There    was  no  reason  to  suspect  any 
difference  in  the  soil,  or  the  care  with  which  both 
parcels  were  planted.     E.  Preble,  esquire,  of  Bos- 
ton, is  decided  in  preferring  autumn  to  spring,  for 
planting   apple    trees,  as    the  ground    will   settle 
round  the  roots  before  frost,  and  the  trees  prepar- 
ed to  shoot  in  the   spring,  aided  by  the  rains  which 
prevail  at  that  season.     If  planted  in  spring,  he  ob- 
serves, the   drought  and  heat   of  summer  Avill  in- 
jure, if  not  destroy  them,  before   the  roots  find 
their  place.     He  is  in  the  practice  of  transplanting 
them  as  soon  as  the  foliage  is   off  in  autumn,  and 
farmers  have  more  leisure  at  that  season  of  the    - 


/^ear. 


PREPARATION  OF  THE  LAND,  AND  PLANTING. 

When  the  ground  is  in  pasture,  it  should  be 
ploughed  to  a  considerable  depth,  and  well  sum- 
iner   fallowed,  till  the  grass   be    killed,     But,   if 


OP   FRUIT   TREES.  SS 

trenching  should  be  preferred,  the  spade  must  be 
carried  to  the  full  depth  of  the  soil ;   and  if  it  be 
gravelly,  a  considerable  portion  of  this  should  be 
removed,  and  its  place  supplied  by  a  due  quantity 
of  rich  mould.     The  quality  of  the   soil  should  ap- 
proach as  nearly  as  possible  to  that  of  the  nursery, 
in  which  the  trees  were  reared.     If  it  be  poorer, 
the  trees  will  certainly  be  impeded  in  their  growth. 
The  trenches  should  be  well  dug,  about  five  or  six 
feet  wide,  that  the  holes  to  receive  the  roots  may 
be  made   sufficiently  large.     Much  of  the  future 
prosperity  of  the  orchard  depends  upon  a  judicious 
selection  of  the  trees.     Mr.  Bucknal  advises,  that 
they  be  chosen  the  year  before  they  are  intended 
to  be  planted,  particular  care  being  taken  to  obtain 
young,  vigorous  and  healthy  trees ;  for  cankered 
plants  emit  a  vapour  that  is  very  detrimental  to 
such  as  are  sound.     In  taking  up  the  trees  from 
the  nursery,  the  roots  should  be   preserved  of  the 
full  length,  if  possible ;  the  surface   earth  should 
be  removed,  and  the  running  roots  carefully  traced 
and  raised.     If  they  must  be  cut,  let  it  be  done 
with  a  sharp  instrument,  and  not  hacked  with  a 
dull  spade.     The  tap  root,  or  that  which  pene- 
trates  straight  down,  may   be    shortened  to  the 
length  of  about  one  foot,  and  all  broken  or  bruised 
parts  should  be  removed.  The  small  matted  fibres 
should  be  cut  oiF,  as  they  are  apt  to  mould  and  de- 
cay, and  prevent  new  ones  from  shooting.     The 
remaining  side  roots  should  be  spread  out  to  give 
them  a  horizontal  dirsction  under  the  surface,  that 
they  may  be  more  immediately  influenced  by  the 
sun,  and  their  sap  will  become  richer,  and  produce 
the  sweetest  and  most  beautiful  fruit.     Some  well- 
rotted  manure,  mixed  with  mould,  may  be  advan- 
tageously placed  round  the  roots,  the  earth  care- 
fully pressed  down,  so  as  to  come  in  contact  with 
the  roots  in  every  part,  and  the  trees  placed  the 
same  side  to  the  sun  as   they  stood    before.     In 


S2  CULTURE   AND    MANAGEMENT 

transplanting  trees,  it  may  be  observed,  that  they 
should  not  be  replanted  deep  in  the  soil,  since 
the  most  nutritive  or  salubrious  parts  of  the 
earth  are  those  within  the  reach  of  the  sun's 
warmth,  of  the  descending  moisture,  and  of  the 
air.  And  as  ^the  root  fibres  of  trees,  like  those 
of  seeds,  always  grow  toward  the  purest  air  and 
brightest  light,  it  follows,  that  the  root  fibres 
seldom  rise  higher  in  the  ground  than  they  were 
originally  set,  and  seldom  elongate  themselves 
perfectly  horizontally ;  so  that  when  a  fruit  tree 
IS  planted  too  deep  in  the  earth,  it  seldom  grows 
in  healthy  vigour,  either  in  respect  to  its  leaf 
buds  or  flower  buds.  For  a  more  particular  descrip- 
tion of  the  method  of  planting  fruit  trees,  I  quote 
the  language  of  Mr.  Marshall,  as  follows :  "  De- 
scribe a  circle  about  five  or  six  feet  diameter  for 
the  hole.  If  the  ground  be  in  grass,  remove  the 
sward  in  shallow  spits,  placing  the  sods  on  one  side 
of  the  hole  ;  the  best  of  the  loose  mould  placed  by 
itself  on  another  side,  and  the  dead  earth,  from  the 
bottom  of  the  hole,  in  another  heap.  The  depth 
of  the  holes  should  be  regulated  by  the  nature  of 
the  sub-soil.  Where  this  is  cold  and  retentive,  the 
holes  should  not  be  made  much  deeper  than  the 
cultivated  soil.  To  go  lower,  is  to  form  a  recepta- 
cle for  the  water,  which,  by  standing  among  the 
roots,  is  very  injurious  to  the  plants.  On  the  con- 
trary, in  a  dry,  light  soil,  the  holes  should  be  made 
considerable  deeper ;  as  well  to  obtain  a  degree  of 
coolness  and  moisture,  as  to  be  able  to  establish 
the  plants  firmly  in  the  soil.  In  soils  of  a  middle 
quality,  the  hole  should  be  of  such  depth,  that 
when  the  sods  are  thrown  to  the  bottom  of  it,  the 
plant  will  stand  at  the  same  depth  in  the  orchard 
as  it  did  in  the  nursery.  Each  hole,  therefore, 
should  be  of  a  depth  adapted  to  the  particular  root 
planted  in  it.  The  holes  ought,  however,  for  va- 
rious reasons,  to  be  made  previous  to  the  day  of 


OP   FRUIT   TREES,  53 

planting.  If  the  season  of  planting  be  spring,  and 
the  ground  and  the  weather  be  dry,  the  holes 
should  be  watered  the  evening  before  the  day  of 
planting,  by  throwing  two  or  three  pails  full  of 
water  into  each ;  a  new  but  eligible  practice.  In 
planting,  the  sods  should  be  thrown  to  the  bottom 
of  the  hole,  chopt  with  the  spade,  and  covered 
with  some  of  the  finest  of  the  mould.  If  the  hole 
be  so  deep,  that  with  this  advantage  the  bottom 
will  not  be  raised  high  enough  for  the  plant,  some 
of  the  worst  of  the  mould  should  be  returned  be- 
fore the  sod  be  thrown  down.  The  bottom  of  the 
hole  being  raised  to  a  proper  height  and  adjusted, 
the  lowest  tier  of  roots  is  to  be  spread  out  upon 
it;  drawing  them  out  horizontally,  and  spreading 
them  in  different  directions,  drawing  out  with  the 
hand  the  rootlets  and  fibres  which  severally  belong 
to  them,  spreading  them  out  as  a  feather,  pressing 
them  evenly  into  the  soil,  and  covering  them,  by 
hand,  with  some  of  the  finest  of  the  mould ;  the 
other  tiers  of  roots  are  then  to  be  spread  out  and 
bedded  in  the  same  manner.  Great  care  is  to  be 
taken  to  work  the  mould  well  in,  by  hand,  that  no 
hollowness  be  left ;  to  prevent  which,  the  mould  is 
to  be  trodden  hard  witn  the  foot.  The  remainder 
of  the  mould  should  be  raised  into  a  hillock,  round 
the  stem,  for  the  triple  use  of  affording  coolness, 
moisture,  and  stability  to  the  plant.  A  little  dish 
should  be  made  on  the  top  of  the  hillock,  and  from 
the  rim  of  this  the  slope  should  be  gentle  to  the 
circumference  of  the  hole,  where  the  broken 
ground  should  sink  some  few  inches  below  the  level 
of  the  orchard.  All  this  detail  may  be  deemed 
unnecessary;  by  those,  I  mean,  who  have  been  ac- 
customed to  bury  the  roots  of  plants  in  the  grave- 
digger's  manner ;  but  I  can  recommend  every  part 
of  it  to  those  who  wish  to  insure  success,  from  my 
own  practice.  Plants  which  have  been  transplant- 
ed in  the  manner  here  recommended,  whose  heads 


54  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

have  been  judiciously  lessened,  and  which  have 
been  planted  in  the  manner  here  described,  seldom 
require  any  other  stay  than  their  own  roots.  If, 
however,  the  stems  be  tall,  and  the  roots  lew  and 
short,  they  should  be  supported  in  the  usual  man- 
ner, Avith  stakes,  or  rather,  in  the  following  manner, 
which  is  at  once  simple,  strong,  and  most  agreeable 
to  the  eye.  Take  a  large  post,  and  slit  it  with  a 
saw,  and  place  the  parts  flat-way  with  the  faces 
to  the  plant,  one  on  each  side  of  it,  and  two  feet 
apart,  and  nail  your  rails  upon  the  edges  of  the 
posts. 

It  seems  to  be  a  well-founded  opinion,  that 
young  apple  trees  will  not  flourish  advantageously 
if  planted  on  the  site  of  an  old  orchard,  or  near 
the  place  where  old  trees  have  died.  William 
Coxe,  esquire,  of  New  Jersey,  the  most  expe- 
rienced orchardist  in  the  United  States,  has  expe- 
rimented with  the  view  of  ascertaining  this  fact ; 
and  the  result  has  demonstrated  the  correctness  of 
it  in  the  clearest  manner.  He  planted  young  trees 
in  the  middle  space  between  the  old  rows,  and 
sometimes  near  the  stumps  of  old  trees,  which  had 
been  for  many  years  cut  down  and  decayed ;  he 
removed  the  old  soil  in  digging  the  holes,  and  re- 
placed it  with  rich  earth  mixed  with  manure,  and 
gave  to  his  trees  all  the  advantage  of  high  cultiva- 
tion, yet  they  were  manifestly  inferiour  in  point  of 
growth  and  vigour  to  those  which  were  planted  at 
the  same  season  in  his  adjoining  lots. 

Having  progressed  thus  far,  the  husbandman  is 
now  presented  with  a  valuable  orchard,  planted 
and  arranged  in  complete  systematick  order;  and 
it  may,  if  he  please,  be  considered  as  the  work  of 
his  own  hands,  from  which  he  may  anticipate  high 
expectations  of  profit  and  amusement.  Thus  the 
value  of  a  farm  is  greatly  augmented,  and  the  pro- 
prietor enjoys  the  satisfaction  of  bequeathing  a 
rich  inheritance  to   future  generations.     But  his 


OP   FRUIT   TREES.  >  55 

labour  is  not  yet  at  an  end ;  it  will  still  require  his 
fostering  care,  and  unremitted  attention.     In  vain 
do  we  plant,  labour,  and  toil,  if  through   neglect  in 
a  single  point,  we  suffer  our  harvest  to  be  wrested 
from  our  hands.     Nor  are  we  less  culpable  if  we 
suffer  a  young  orchard  to  be  destroyed  by  the  de- 
predations of  cattle,  the  annoyance  of  insects,  and 
the  corroding  canker,  without  applying  the  appro- 
priate remedies.     We   suppose,  then,  of   course, 
that  the  orchard  is  properly  enclosed  by  a  strong 
and  close  fence.     We  next  proceed  to  cultivate  the 
soil  beneath,  and  between  the  trees,  until  they  ar- 
rive at  their  complete  size,  as  the  quality,  excel- 
lence, and  maturity  of  the  fruit  will,  in  a  great  mea- 
sure, depend  upon  its  proper  culture.     This  pro- 
cess may  be  performed  either  with  the  plough,  if 
due  care  be  taken  not  to  injure  the  roots,  or  with 
the  spade  around  the  trunks,  and  by  these  means 
both  the  fertility  and  health  of  the  trees  are  pro- 
moted, and  the  soil  itself  improved  for  the  purpose 
of  raising  potatoes,   turnips,  or  other  vegetables, 
which  do  not  tend  too  much   to  impoverish  the 
land.     If,  however,  it  is  intended  to  cultivate  clo- 
ver, or  other  meadow  grass   for  mowing,  still  it 
will  be  advisable  to  reserve  a   circuit   round  each 
tree,  as  extensive  as  the  roots,  to  be  kept  open  by 
tillage,  that  by  frequent  hoeing  the  fertilizing  pro- 
perties of  rain,  air,  and  dew,  may  more  easily  pene- 
trate into  the  earth,  and  produce  beneficial  effects 
on  the  roots.     The  opinion  prevails  among  some 
farmers,  that  clover  has  a  tendency  to  retard  the 
growth  of  fruit  trees.     If  this   be  true  of  clover 
more  than  of  any  other  grass,  it  may  probably   be 
explained  from  its  luxuriant   foliage  secluding  the 
influence  of  warmth,   air,    and   light,   from    their 
roots.     Mr.  Kenrick,  of  Newton,  observes,  that  he 
has  found   herds  grass   the   most  injurious  to  his 
trees> 


§6  CULTURE   AND   MANAGEMENT 


MANURING. 


It  is  well  known  to  every  farmer,  that  young 
fruit  trees  will  flourish  luxuriantly,  while  the  ground 
is  cultivated  with  various  vegetable  crops,  and  that 
the  same  tillage  and  manuring,  which  is  required 
for  the  latter,  will  prove  highly  conducive  to  the 
growth  and  fertility  of  the  former.  In  fact,  it  has 
been  ascertained  by  experience  and  observation, 
that  apples,  pears,  peaches,  &c.  attain  to  their 
highest  perfection  only  when  the  soil  about  the 
roots  is  kept  open,  and  frequently  manured.  It  is 
by  the  chemical  combination  of  air,  warmth,  and 
moisture,  that  the  growth  and  vigour  of  plants  and 
trees  are  essentially  promoted  and  maintained. 
The  process  of  nature  is  greatly  assisted  by 
such  substances  as  cause  the  greatest  degree  of 
fermentation,  when  buried  in  the  earth.  Hence, 
all  animal  substances,  from  the  great  degree  of  fer- 
mentation created  by  their  dissolution,  will  be 
found  productive  of  the  greatest  utility.  Among 
these,  are  dead  animal  bodies,  horns,  hoofs,  bones, 
when  reduced  to  fragments  or  powder,  leather, 
shells,  &c.  To  which  may  be  added  hair,  wool, 
and  woollen  rags.  These,  applied  to  the  roots, 
and  a  top  dressing  of  swamp  or  pond  mud,  chip  or 
compost  manure,  annually,  or  once  in  two  years, 
will  produce  surprising  etfects,  and  the  farmer  will 
realize  ample  compensation  by  the  increased  quan- 
tity and  improved  quality  of  his  crop.  As  an  ex- 
traordinary instance  of  resuscitating  an  old  worth* 
less  apple  tree,  by  the  application  of  manure,  I 
quote  from  the  Dom.  Ency.  a  statement,  which  ap- 
peared in  the  Salem  Register,  of  May,  1802.  "In 
my  garden  is  an  apple  tree,  which,  about  the  year 
1763,  sprouted  from  the  root  of  a  former  tree:  it 
now  girts  three  feet  six  inches.  From  1784  to 
1790,  I  observed  it  to  be  barren,  and  a  cumberer 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  57 

of* the  ground;  year  after  year,  being  the  prey  of 
caterpillars,  and  exhibiting  the  constant  appearance 
of  innumerable  warts  within  the  outside  bark, 
which,  at  the  time,  I  suspected  was  natural  instinct 
in  the  insect  for  the  propagation  of  its  kind.  In 
the  spring  of  1793, 1  tried  an  experiment  for  giving 
it  new  life,  as  follows :  very  early  in  the  season,  I 
directed  my  gardener  with  a  hoe  to  cleanse  the 
outside  bark  of  such  excrescences  as  might  bear 
the  operation  with  little  difficulty.  In  the  next 
place,  I  directed  him  to  raise  a  wall  of  small  stones 
round  the  tree,  at  the  distance  of  one  foot,  and  per- 
haps nine  inches  high,  and  then  to  fill  the  cavity 
with  manure  from  the  resource  of  compost.  The 
CiTect  in  the  succeeding  season  was  truly  worthy 
of  notice.  The  warts  disappeared,  the  bark  clean 
and  thrifty,  and  the  tree  so  loaded  with  fruit  as 
that  about  one  third  of  the  boughs  broke  and  came 
to  the  ground  with  the  cumbersome  weight.  Com- 
paratively no  caterpillars  since,  and,  on  an  average, 
a  very  plentiful  crop  of  fruit  yearly.  I  was  led  to 
the  experiment  by  taking  notice  of  a  pear  tree  that 
had  been  in  a  very  similar  situation,  and  had  been 
resuscitated  in  a  similar  manner." 

There  is  not,  perhaps,  in  nature  a  more  fertiliz- 
ing application  than  the  liquid  substance  which  is 
left  at  the  bottom  of  stercoraries  and  barn-yards, 
after  the  more  solid  substance  has  been  removed. 
This  effervescing  mixture  contains  the  very  essence 
of  the  food  of  plants,  and  it  might  be  carried  out 
in  tight  carts  or  casks,  especially  in  a  dry  season, 
and  emptied  about  the  trunks  and  roots,  in  the 
cool  hours  of  morning  and  evening,  but  on  no  ac- 
count during  the  heat  of  a  summer's  day.  The 
planter,  however,  ouglit  to  be  apprized,  tliat  the 
process  of  manuring  must  not  be  carried  to  excess, 
as  too  great  a  stimulus  applied  to  trees,  facilitates 
the  luxuriant  growth  of  wood,  and  renders  the 
branches  less  productive  of  fruit;  or  the  trees  raav 
8 


58  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

be  stimulated  to  a  preternatural  exertion  for  a  few 
jears,  when  their  prolifick  powers  will  be  exhaust- 
ed, and  a  premature  decay  induced.  Fresh  stable 
manure  is  supposed  to  be  injurious  to  fruit  trees. 

There  is  another  expedient,  which  is  understood 
to  have  produced  favourable  effects  in  promoting 
the  growth  of  joung  fruit  trees,  especially  in  grass 
land.  The  method  was  published  some  years  ago 
by  a  German  clergyman,  and  simply  consists  m 
spreading  flax-shaws,  or  the  refuse  of  flax  after  it 
has  been  dressed,  on  the  soil  contiguous  to  the 
trunks  of  the  trees,  as  far  as  the  roots  extend :  by 
which  means  their  size,  as  well  as  their  fertility,  is 
remarkably  increased.  In  the  vicinity  of  the  sea- 
coast,  a  valuable  substitute  for  refuse  llax,  may  be 
found  in  fresh  sea  weed.  I  have  employed  this 
article  with  considerable  advantage.  Being  laid 
thick  round  the  trunk,  it  prevents  the  growth  of 
grass  and  Aveeds,  keeps  the  earth  open  and  loose, 
and,  I  am  disposed  to  believe,  prevents  field  mice 
from  injuring  the  bark  of  the  trees  in  winter,  as 
the  salt  with  which  this  substance  is  impregnated 
is  supposed  to  be  obnoxious  to  those  vermin.  It 
occurs  to  me  as  highly  probable,  that  a  quantity  of 
sea  weed  pressed  round  the  trunks  of  fruit  trees, 
extending  three  or  four  feet,  would  prove  a  reme- 
dy against  the  canker  worm,  by  forming  a  compact 
substance,  tiirough  which  both  the  canker  moth 
and  worm  would  be  unable  to  penetrate.  It  might 
also  serve  as  a  piotection  against  the  destructive 
worm,  which  bores  into  the  tree  near  the  surface 
of  the  earth. 

Engrafted  apple  trees  sometimes  put  forth  blos- 
soms and  bear  fruit  when  two  or  three  years  old  ; 
but  if  this  premature  produce  be  permitted,  the 
prolifick  powers  will  be  greatly  impaired,  and  the 
trees  will  suffer  irreparable  injury.  If,  therefore, 
the  blossoms  appear  abundant,  the  fruit  should  be 
taken  off  as  soon  as  formed,  leavino-  onlv  four  or 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  5fll 

five  apples  on  each  tree,  to  ascertain  their  size  and 
quality.  Even  at  a  more  advanced  stage  of  growth, 
if  part  of  the  apples  are  taken  otf  in  season,  the 
remainder  will  be  mucli  improved  in  all  respects, 
and  the  trees  will  not  only  produce  fruit  In  higher 
perfection,  but  the  bearing  branches  will  every 
year  become  more  vigorous  and  fruitful.  It  has 
been  observed,  that  trees,  which  begin  their  bear- 
ing gradually,  are,  in  general,  more  disposed  to  afford 
an  annual  crop. 

It  is  not  to  be  expected,  that  the  systeraatick 
plan  and  particular  rules  described  in  the  foregoing 
pages,  will  accord  with  the  views  and  circumstan- 
ces of  every  agriculturalist.  It  may,  in  some  in- 
stances, interrupt  a  course  of  field  culture  which 
the  farmer  has  prescribed  for  himself,  or  his  farm 
may  not  afford  an  eligible  situation  for  a  regular 
plantation  of  fruit  trees.  In  such  dilemma  it  may 
be  convenient  to  plant  trees  m  various  parts  of  the 
farm,  not  otherwise  occupied,  as  on  the  borders  and 
corners  of  fields  contiguous  to  roads,  lanes,  &c.  In 
some  instances,  it  is  deemed  a  {ireferable  method  to 
set  trees  on  the  sides  of  a  square  field,  the  centre 
of  which  is  left  open  for  pasture  or  tillage;  and 
such  arrangement  is  not  without  its  advantages. 
It  has  been  observed,  that  apple  trees  produce  a 
more  abundant  crop  when  the  ground  is  trodden 
and  manured  by  cattle  in  the  Vv'inter;  but  they 
should  by  no  means  be  suffered  to  browse  on  the 
branches.  We  are  not,  indeed,  without  examples 
of  scattered  trees,  of  spontaneous  growth,  occupy- 
ing land  which  has  never  been  broken  by  the 
j)lough,  nor  subjected  to  the  hand  of  culiure.  From 
these,  tolerable  crops  of  fruit  are  occasionally  ob- 
tained, which,  although  of  inferiour  quality,  are 
nevertheless  capable  of  being  converted  to  useful 
purposes.  With  the  view  of  showing  the  facility 
with  which  many  natural  disadvantages  may  be 
overcome,  and  an  orchard  reared  in  the  most  un- 


60'  dULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

promising  situation,  I  shall  introduce  here  an  ex- 
tract from  a  valuable  paper,  published  in  the  Ag- 
ricultural Repository,  No.  i.  vol.  6,  by  John  Wells, 
esquire,  of  Dorchester.  Mr.  W.  relates  two  in- 
stances of  cultivating  apple  trees  successfully  in 
unfavourable  situations.  In  the  one,  a  low  piece 
of  strong  stony  land  was  taken.  "  As  it  was  rather 
flat,  it  was  ploughed  in  strips  or  dug  in  spaces 
about  four  feet  square.  As  it  was  necessary  to 
plough  a  furrow  between  each  row,  the  mode  of 
ploughing  in  strips  was  found  the  best,  as  by  turn- 
mg  the  furrow  towards  the  tree,  the  land  was  bet- 
ter drained.  Besides  raising  the  ground  a  little 
from  the  surrounding  soil,  half  a  buck  load  of  loam 
was  added,  to  raise  the  ground  on  which  the  tree 
was  set.  After  this  was  done,  the  strips  or 
squares,  as  the  case  might  be,  were  appropriated 
to  the  culture  of  potatoes  and  garden  vegetables. 
In  a  few  places  only,  the  trees  failed  from  the  in- 
sufficiency of  the  drain.  But  by  opening  the  drain, 
and  raising  the  ground  by  half  a  buck  load  of  loam, 
I  found,  on  setting  out  a  new  tree,  it  flourished 
equally  with  the  rest.  This  orchard,  now  in  eight 
years,  is  a  most  valuable  one,  and  most  of  the  trees 
would  give  half  a  barrel  of  apples.  From  this  and 
other  circumstances  which  have  fallen  within  my 
observation,  it  appears  that  low  land,  if  strong  soil, 
and  well  drained,  will  give  a  fine  orchard,  and  pro- 
bably sooner  than  any  other." 

The  next  effort  was  made  under  totally  opposite 
circumstances.  "  The  object  was  to  have  an  or- 
chard on  a  particular  spot,  where  the  soil  was  thin 
and  light,  upon  a  plain  or  flat.  The  holes  were 
dug  four  feet  over.  The  two  upper  strata  of 
black  and  yellow  loam,  were  placed  aside  the  tree. 
After  this,  about  ten  inches  in  depth  of  the  gravel- 
ly, or  poorer  earth,  was  taken  out  and  carted  off', 
and  a  horse  cart  load  of  stones  upset  into  the 
hole  ;  upon  these,  a  part  of  the  upper  stratum,  or 


OF    FRUIT   TREES,  61 

gome  dirt  from  the  side  of  the  road  was  scattered 
so  as  to  fill  up  the  interstices;  since  which  the  spots 
near  the  trees  have  been  cultivated  by  planting 
four  hills  of  potatoes  round  each  tree.  The  result 
has  been  tolerably  favourable  witli  all ;  but  the 
trees  having  the  stones  placed  at  the  roots  have 
exceedingly  outstripped  the  others.  The  dimen- 
sions of  the  trees  in  the  first  experiment — a  rich, 
low,  black,  stony  soil,  drained — were,  at  the  expi- 
ration of  eight  years,  fifteen  to  seventeen  inches  in 
circumference,  one  foot  from  the  ground.  This 
may  be  considered  (the  tree  being  small  when  set 
out)  as  a  growth  of  about  two  inches  a  year. 
The  growth  in  the  second  experiment,  for  six 
years,  was  twelve  to  fourteen  inches,  in  the  holes 
m  which  the  stones  were  put,  one  foot  from  tlie 
ground.  Where  no  stones  were  put,  nine  inches 
was  the  growth.  It  will  thus  be  perceived,  that 
the  vegetation  was  most  powerful  under  circumstan- 
ces by  nature  least  favourable.  If,  then,  thus  much, 
can  be  done  to  counteract  such  disadvantages,  it 
surely  offers  much  encouragement  to  our  efforts,  and 
leads  us  to  hope,  that  not  only  in  this,  but  in  other 
objects,  they  may  be  beneficially  extended." 

ORCHARD  PRUNLVG. 

It  has  been  remarked,  that  the  management  of 
orchards  is  capable  of  being  reduced  to  a  system, 
under  a  few  general  heads,  connected  in  the  prin- 
ciple of  making  all  trees  in  an  orchard  healthy, 
round,  large  and  beautiful.  There  is  no  part  of 
this  management,  perhaps,  so  important,  and  which 
requires  more  skill,  and  at  the  same  time  is  so  lit- 
tle understood,  as  the  process  of  orchard  pruning. 
The  necessity  of  commencing,  and  annually  repeat- 
ing this  operation  in  the  nursery,  has  already  been 
inculcated.  When  this  discipline  is  properly  put 
in  practice,  at  that  early  period  of  growth,  there 


62  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

will  be  less  employment  for  the  pruning  knife  at 
all  future  oeriods ;  it  will  nevertheless  be  found 
indispensably  necessary  to  retrench  redundant  or 
Ruperiiuous  shoots  and  branches  in  every  successive 
year  of  their  existence.  "  To  the  neglect  of  prun- 
ing fruit  trees  in  due  season,*'  says  Mr.  Yates,  "  and 
the  unskilful  manner  of  performing  it,  may,  in  a 
great  measure,  be  ascribed  the  bad  and  unfruilful 
state  of  some  of  the  orchards  in  America.  This 
inattention  and  mismanagement,  and,  especially, 
the  not  amputating  dead  limbs,  and  extirpating  all 
infected  parts  of  fruit  trees,  subjects  them  to  dis- 
ease, mortification,  and  death.  An  unpruned  tree, 
left  in  a  natural  state,  will  bear  fruit  sooner  than 
one  that  is  pruned ;  for  by  pruning,  the  parts  below 
the  lopped  or  amputated  branches  become  vivipa- 
rous, and  produce  new  leaf  buds,  which  require 
several  years  before  they  will  acquire  sufficient 
maturity  to  generate  flower  buds,  to  produce  an 
oviparous  progeny;  but  unpruned  trees  grow  and 
look  irregular  and  unsightly ;  nor  is  their  fruit  to 
be  compared  to  that  of  trees  properly  pruned  and 
managed,  in  order  to  afford  them  a  more  equal  ad- 
vantage of  the  sun  and  air,  by  means  whereof  they 
will  produce  fruit  better  in  size  and  quality." 

The  two  great  practical  errours  which  have 
hitherto  prevailed,  and  by  which  fruit  trees  have 
suffered  irreparable  injury,  are,  1.  The  season  of 
the  year;  and  2.  The  awkward  and  unskilful  man- 
ner in  which  the  operation  has  been  performed. 
In  general,  the  months  of  February  and  March 
have  been  considered  as  the  preferable  season  for 
pruning,  and  not  unfrequentJy  the  executioner  is 
sent  into  the  tree  with  his  exterminating  axe, 
where  he  commences  an  almost  indiscriminate 
slaughter,  leaving  long  projecting  stumps,  and  dis- 
regarding equally  the  form  and  beauty  of  the  tree, 
and  the  particular  branches  and  spurs  upon  which 
the  future  crop  principally  depend.      In    March, 


OF  FIIUIT  TREES.  0S 

the  sap  is  retained  in  the  roots,  and  the  bark  ad- 
heres closely  to  the  Avood;  consequent! j,  the 
wounds  occasioned  by  the  amputation  of  branches 
being  exposed  to  the  cold,  penetrating  vvinds  and 
frosts,  before  the  circulation  of  the  sap,  become 
dry,  rotten,  and  cankered,  and  often  crack  open 
nearly  to  the  main  trunk.  In  old  orchards,  par- 
ticularly, if  limbs  of  any  considerable  size  are  lop- 
ped oir,  several  inches  from  the  trunk,  before  the 
sap  is  in  active  motion,  the  fresh  bark  round  the 
wood  becomes  dry,  large  cavities  are  formed, 
which  rapidly  extend  towards  the  trunk  and  heart, 
and  the  tree  is  soon  deprived  of  its  health  and 
vigour.  This  unskilful  procedure  has  so  long  been 
in  practice,  that  it  need  excite  no  surprise,  that  a 
large  proportion  of  our  old  orchards  exhibit  a  mor- 
tifying, disgusting  spectacle  of  dead  branches,  rotten 
stumps  and  hollow  trunks,  verging  to  total  ruin. 
The  greatest  cause  for  surprise  is  that  our  intelli- 
gent farmers  should  sulTer  their  valuable  land,  year 
after  year,  to  be  encumbered  with  such  worthless 
lumber,  fit  only  for  the  resort  of  vermin  and  in- 
sects ;  for  it  may  be  observed,  that  the  more  deli- 
cate feathered  tribe  disdain  to  occupy  such  detes- 
table rums  for  the  purpose  of  rearing  their  brood. 
The  long  life  of  different  orchards,  soil  and  situa- 
tion being  equal,  will  depend,  it  is  said,  more  on 
judicious  pruning  than  on  any  other  circumstance. 
Young  trees  differ  much  in  their  natural  form  and 
tendency,  and  the  mode  of  pruning  should  vary 
accordingly.  The  peculiarity  of  growth,  which 
characterizes  each  kind,  is  easily  discovered  when 
from  four  to  five  or  six  years  old;  and  this  is  the 
most  favourable  period  to  complete  what  was  begun 
in  the  nursery,  for  the  purpose  of  correcting  any 
natural  defects  in  their  form,  and  giving  the  proper 
direction  in  their  future  growth.  The  most  pro- 
per season  for  pruning  fruit  trees,  unquestionably  is 
when  the  sap-juice   is  in  active   motion  toward  the 


64  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

extreme  branches.  In  our  New  England  climate, 
-we  have  the  clearest  indications  that  the  sap  com- 
mences its  circulation  about  the  iOth  of  April. 
From  this  period  to  about  the  last  of  May,  whether 
the  buds  are  just  opening,  or  the  blossoms  fully  ex- 
panded, the  pruning  should  be  accomplished.  It 
would,  for  certain  reasons,  however,  seem  advisa- 
ble not  to  delay  the  operation  after  the  first  week 
in  May,  as  the  branches  are  then  so  charged  with 
a  full  flow  of  sap,  that  the  bark  would  be  apt  to 
peel,  whereby  unseemly  wounds  might  be  left,  and 
canker  induced :  and  besides,  the  undergrowth, 
whether  grass  or  grain,  might  be  so  far  advanced 
as  to  suffer  injury  by  being  trampled  upon.  For 
the  purpose  of  performing  this  operation  in  a  pro- 
per manner,  a  saw,  chisel,  and  pruning  knife,  must 
he  provided.  It  will  next  be  requisite  to  have  at 
hand  some  suitable  composition  to  apply  to  the 
wounded  parts,  to  defend  against  wet,  cold  air,  or 
the  scorching  sun.  It  is  immaterial  whether  we 
employ  Forsyth's  composition,  or  the  clay  as  pre- 
pared for  grafting,  or  an  ointment  composed  of 
rosin,  beeswax,  and  turpentine.  Some  prefer  a 
composition  of  tar  with  a  little  beeswax,  simmered 
tooether,  to  which  some  red  ochre  is  added.  This 
composition,  or  the  abovementioned  ointment,  should 
be  of  a  proper  consistence  to  be  applied  to  the 
wound  with  a  knife  or  smooth  stick,  and  they  will  ad- 
here, and  last  two  years  without  requiring  to  be  re- 
newed. With  respect  to  the  proper  method  of 
i)runing,  no  particular  unexceptionable  rules  can  be 
prescribed;  much  must  depend  on  experience  and 
attentive  observation.  It  is  among  the  most  im- 
portant rules,  however,  not  to  amputate  a  large 
limb,  close  to  the  main  trunk  of  a  full  grown  tree, 
nor  indeed  a  branch,  which  is  too  large  at  the 
place  of  excision  to  heal  or  to  close  over  again,  as 
you  may  give  the  tree  its  death-wound,  by  opening 
an  avenue  to  the  air  and  water,  which  induce  rot- 


OP   FRUIT   TREES.  6^9 

tenness,  and,  in  course  of  time,  the  limb  or  trunk 
becomes  hollow,  frequently  to  the  roots.     In  prun- 
ing, some  regard  must   be  had  to  soil  and  climate. 
If  the  situation  be  wet   and   cold,   trees  should  be 
pruned  more  open  for  the  benefit   of  sun  and  air, 
which  are  less  essential  in  a  dry  sandy  soil,  where 
the  fruit  ripens  better.      Winter  fruit  trees   should 
have  their  branches  left  wider  asunder  than  sum- 
mer fruit,  as  they  require   more   warmti!    of  the 
sun  than   the  latter.      The  general  shape    of  old 
trees  should  be  left  substantially  the  same,  that  the 
ascending  juices  may  continue,  as  much  as  possible, 
in  their  established  channels.     Care  must  be  taken 
not  to  cut  away  too  many  large  limbs  at  a  time,  lest 
-too  large  a  portion  of  the  sap  should  remain  inac- 
tive, and  thus  occasion  mischief.     Always  prune  at 
a  fork,   and  remove  the    lower  branch,  that   the 
wound  may  be  on  the  lower  side  rather  than  the 
upper  side.     All   large  limbs  should  be  cut  first  at 
some   distance    from    the   place    where    they  are 
to  be  pruned,  as   the  weight   may   peel  the  bark, 
and  leave  a  bad  wound;  and   in  order  to  prevent 
the   same    accident,  the   bark,  on  the  under  side, 
should  be  cut  through  before  the  limb  is  amputat- 
ed.    In  every  instance,  after  sawing  otF  the  branch, 
let  the  bark  and  edges  of  the  stump  be  pared  close 
and  smooth  with  a  sharp  knife,  and  inimediatly  ap- 
ply the  composition  so  as  to  cover  the  whole  sur- 
face of  the  wound.     This  is  more  especially  neces- 
sary  when   the   operation   is   performed  in  a  cold 
season,   before  the  sap   is  in   circulation.     By  this 
procedure  the  new  growth  or  healing  process  im- 
mediately commences,  and  instead  of  an   unseemly 
rotten  cavity,  as  in  the  old  method,  the  wound  will, 
during  the  season,  if  not  large,  be  completely  heal- 
ed over,  and  the  tree  remain  sound  and  flourishing. 
It  is  to  be  observed,  that  the   fruit   of  the    apple 
tree   is   produced  on  short,  thick,  side,  or  terminal 
shoots  or  spurs,  from  one  to  two  or  three  inches 
9 


6jS  culture  and  management 

long.  These  spurs  naturally  proceed  from  branches 
two,  three,  or  four  years  old,  and  as  these  branches 
increase  m  length,  the  fruit  spurs  increase  in  num- 
ber, and  they  continue  to  be  fruitful  for  several 
years.  Mr.  Forsyth  always  leaves  the  branches 
of  three  diiferent  years  on  the  tree,  and  thus  keeps 
them  in  a  constant  bearing  state;  whereas,  if  left 
to  nature,  they  would  only  produce  a  crop  of  fruit 
once  in  two  or  three  years.  All  old  ragged  spurs, 
and  useless  snags  and  twigs,  should  be  taken  off 
close  to  the  trunk;  no  dead  limbs  should  be  suffer- 
ed to  remain,  nor  even  thrifty  branches  that  have 
an  irregular  tendency,  running  inwards,  and  rubbing 
against  each  other.  Such  branches  as  intersect  or 
cross  each  other,  and  thus  occasion  confusion  in  the 
crown  of  the  tree,  ought  to  be  removed,  and  all 
others  cleared  of  suckers  to  their  very  extremities; 
and  indeed  it  will  be  necessary  to  prune  out  a  good 
proportion  of  the  top  branches,  in  order  to  spread 
open  the  crown  of  the  tree,  to  admit  a  free  circu- 
lation of  air  and  the  rays  of  the  sun,  which  are  es- 
sentially necessary  to  mature  and  ripen  the  fruit. 
Those  superfluous  lateral  branches  which  grow 
irregularly,  and  all  dead  wood,  should  be  annually 
extu'pated,  to  give  the  proper  bearing  branches  suffi- 
cient room  without  injuring  the  beauty  of  the  tree, 
leaving  the  fruit  branches  as  nearly  equidistant  as 
possible.  Such  branches  as  have  received  any 
material  injury  ought  to  be  removed.  If  the  tree 
in  its  iirsi  or  second  sap  tend  to  shoot  abundance 
of  wood,  the  young  shoots  should  be  pinched  off 
while  tender,  but  never  cut  while  the  sap  is  flow- 
ing, because  the  tree,  by  cutting  at  that  time,  is 
apt  to  run  into  wood,  and  the  blossom  buds  liable 
to  be  injured  by  being  deprived  of  sap.  Never 
suffer  a  sucker  to  remain  near  the  root,  from  one 
year  to  another,  nor  by  any  means  upon  the  body 
or  trunk,  which  is  not  intended  to  be  permanent. 
Those  vigorous  young  shoots,  which   often  spring 


OF    FRUIT    TREES. 


from  old  arms,  near  the  trunk,  and  incline  to  grow 
up  into  the  head,  must  be  annually  extirpated,  lest 
they  till  the  tree  with  too  much  wood.  A  suffi- 
cient portion  of  fertile  wood  should  be  left  in  every 
part,  but  leave  no  useless  branches,  to  exhaust  the 
nutritive  powers,  and  thereby  accelerate  the  decay 
of  the  tree.  Mr.  Marshall,  in  his  Rural  Economy, 
observes,  that  "  a  redundancy  of  wood  is  the  cause 
of  numerous  evils.  The  roots,  or  rather  the  pas- 
turage which  supports  them,  is  exhausted  unpro- 
fitably ;  the  bearing  wood  robbed  of  part  of  its 
sustenance,  and  the  natural  life  of  the  tree  unneces- 
sarily shortened;  while  the  superfluous  wood, 
which  is  the  cause  of  this  mischief,  places  the  tree 
in  perpetual  danger,  by  giving  the  winds  additional 
power  over  it,  and  is  injurious  to  the  bearing  wood, 
by  retaining  the  damps,  and  preventing  a  due  cir- 
culation of  air.  The  underhanffins:  boughs  weioh 
down,  especially  when  loaded  with  leaves,  the  fruit 
bearing  branches  they  are  preying  upon,  giving 
them  a  drooping  habit,  or  at  least  preventing  their 
taking,  as  they  ought  and  otherwise  would,  an  as- 
cending direction ;  while  those  which  grow  within 
the  head  are  equally  injurious  in  crossing  and  chaf-- 
ing  the  profitable  branches.  The  outer  surface 
only  is  able  to  mature  fruit  properly.  Every  in- 
ward and  every  underling  branch  ought  therefore 
to  be  removed.  It  is  no  uncommon  sight  to  see 
two  or  three  tiers  of  boughs  pressing  down  hard, 
one  upon  another,  with  their  twigs  so  intimately 
interwoven,  that,  even  when  their  leaves  are  off, 
a  small  bird  can  scarcely  creep  in  among  them. 
Trees  thus  neglected  acquire,  through  a  want  of 
ventilation  and  exercise,  a  runty,  stinted  habit,  and 
the  fruit  they  bear  becomes  of  a  rude,  inferiour 
quality.  By  some,  we  are  advised  never  to  suifer 
apple  trees  to  begin  to  head  short  of  six  or  eight 
feet,  for  the  convenience  of  passing  under  them  in 
ploughing,  and  to  admit  the  warming  and  fertilizing 


GS  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

influence  of  the  sun  and  air  to  the  undergrowth. 
But  the  horizontal  and  drooping  branches  are  al- 
ways the  most  productive  of  fruit,  and  this  is  less 
liable  to  be  shaken  off  by  the  wind,  and  is  more 
conveniently  gathered  by  hand.  Those  who  culti- 
vate an  orchard  for  the  benefit  of  the  fruit,  must 
make  the  undergrowth  a  secondary   consideration. 

HEADING  DOWi\  OLD  DECAYED  APPLE  TREES. 

According  to  Mr.  Forsyth,  when  the  tops  of  the 
branches  of  apple  trees  begin  to  die  from  old  age 
or  other  cause,  they  ought  immediately  to  be  re- 
generated by  giving  them  a  new  top.  This  is  done 
by  cutting  otY  a  few  feet  of  their  extremities  over 
the  whole  tree,  so  as  to  leave  it  in  a  proper  form. 
If  the  trunk  is  yet  tolerably  sound,  the  new 
branches  will  grow  thriftily,  and  bear  luxuriantly; 
and  if  you  wish  to  vary  your  fruit,  the  sprouts, 
after  one  year's  growth,  and  most  frequently  the 
same  year,  will  be  fit  for  inoculating,  which  suc- 
ceeds equally  well  in  the  old  as  in  the  young  trees. 
In  heading  down  old  decayed  apple  trees  for  the 
sake  of  symmetry,  it  will  be  necessary  to  cut  at  the 
forked  branches  as  near  as  can  be  to  the  upper 
side  of  the  fork,  cutting  them  in  a  sloping  manner  to 
carry  oil'  the  wet,  and  at  the  same  time  rounding 
the  edges;  and  if  any  of  the  branches  should  have 
the  canker,  all  the  infected  parts  must  be  cut  out. 
The  composition  must  be  immediately  applied,  to 
prevent  the  sun  and  air  from  injuring  the  naked 
inner  bark.  This  operation  should  be  performed 
in  April  or  May,  and,  in  the  course  of  the  summer, 
long  thrifty  shoots  will  be  thrown  out ;  these 
should  not  be  shortened  the  first  year,  but  in  the 
folloAving  spring  they  may  be  cut  to  six  or  eight 
inches  long,  according  to  their  strength.  In  the 
next  spring,  after  the  first  branches  are  headed,  the 
remaining  old  branches  may  be  cut  out,  and  these 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  6*9 

will  soon  fill  the  head  of  the  tree  with  fine  bearing 
wood.  In  three  years,  if  properly  managed,  trees 
so  headed  will  produce  more  and  finer  fruit  than  a 
maiden  tree  that  has  been  planted  upwards  of 
twenty  years.  The  method  above  detailed  should 
be  adopted  with  some  caution,  for  it  has  been 
found,  that  trees  will  not  survive  the  loss  of  all 
their  branches,  if  lopped  off  in  one  season ;  it  is 
preferable,  therefore,  to  cut  and  graft  them  partially 
every  season  until  the  whole  is  accomplished. 

DIRECTIONS 

For  making  a  composition  for  curing  diseases,  defects,  and  inju- 
ries in  all  kinds  of  fruit  and  forest  trees,  and  the  method  of 
preparing  the  trees,  and  lajing  on  the  composition,  by  Wil- 
liam Forsyth. 

Take  one  bushel  of  fresh  cow-dung,  half  a  bush- 
el of  lime  rubbish  of  old  buildings,  (that  from  the 
ceilings  of  rooms  is  preferable)  half  a  bushel  of 
wood-ashes,  and  a  sixteenth  part  of  a  bushel  of  pit 
or  river  sand :  the  three  last  articles  are  to  be  sift- 
ed fine  before  they  are  mixed  :  then  work  them 
well  together  with  a  spade,  and  afterwards  with  a 
wooden  beater,  until  the  stuff  is  very  smooth, 
like  fine  plaster  used  for  the  ceiling  of  rooms. — 
The  composition  being  thus  made,  care  must  be 
taken  to  prepare  the  tree  properly  for  its  apphca- 
tion,  by  cutting  away  all  the  dead,  decayed,  and  in- 
jured parts,  till  you  come  to  the  fresh  sound  wood, 
leaving  the  surface  of  the  wood  very  smooth,  and 
rounding  off  the  edges  of  the  bark,  with  a  draw- 
knife,  or  other  instrument,  perfectly  smooth,  which 
must  be  particularly  attended  to  :  then  lay  on  the 
plaster  about  one  eighth  of  an  inch  thick  all  over 
the  part  where  the  wood  or  bark  has  been  so  cut 
away,  finishing  off  the  edges  as  thin  as  possible  : 
then  take  a  quantity  of  dry  powder  of  wood-ashes, 
mixed  with  a  sixth  part  of  the  same  quantity  of 
the  ashes  of  burnt  bones  :  put  it  into  a  tin  box, 
with  holes  in  the  top,   and  shake  the   pov/der  on 


^0  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

the  surface  of  the  plaster  till  the  whole  is  covered 
over  with  it,  letting  it  remain  for  half  an  hour 
to  absorb  the  moisture  ;  then  apply  more  powder, 
rubbing  it  on  gently  with  the  hand,  and  repeating 
the  application  of  the  powder  till  the  whole  plaster 
becomes  a  dry  and  smooth  surface.  Where  lime 
rubbish  of  old  buildings  cannot  be  easily  got,  take 
pounded  chalk,  or  common  lime,  after  having  been 
slacked  a  month  at  least. 

As  the  best  way  of  using  the  composition  is  found 
by  experience  to  be  in  a  liquid  form,  it  must  there- 
fore be  reduced  to  the  consistence  of  pretty  thick 
paint,  by  mixing  it  up  with  a  sufficient  quantity  of 
urine  and  soap  suds,  and  laid  on  with  a  painter's 
brush.  The  powder  of  wood  ashes  and  burnt  bones 
is  to  be  applied  as  before  directed,  patting  it  down 
with  the  hand. 

When  trees  are  become  hollow,  you  must  scoop 
out  all  the  rotten,  loose,  and  dead  parts  of  the  trunk 
till  you  come  to  the  solid  wood,  leaving  the  surface 
smooth;  then  cover  the  hollow,  and  every  part 
where  the  canker  has  been  cut  out,  or  brandies  lop- 
ped oif,  with  the  composition,  and  as  the  edges  grow, 
take  care  not  to  let  the  new  wood  come  in  contact 
with  the  dead,  part  of  which  it  may  be  sometimes 
necessary  to  leave ;  but  cut  out  the  old  dead  wood 
as  the  new  advances,  keeping  a  hollow  between 
them,  to  allow  the  new  wood  room  to  extend  itself, 
and  thereby  fill  up  the  cavity,  which  it  will  do  in 
time,  so  as  to  make,  as  it  were,  a  new  tree.  If  the 
cavity  be  large,  you  may  cut  away  as  much  at  one 
operation  as  will  be  sufficient  for  three  years.  But 
in  this  you  are  to  be  guided  by  the  size  of  the  wood 
and  other  circumstances.  When  the  new  wood,  ad- 
vancing from  both  sides  of  the  wound,  has  almost 
met,  cut  off  the  bark  from  both  the  edges,  that  the 
solid  wood  may  join,  which,  if  properly  managed,  it 
will  do,  leaving  only  a  slight  seam  in  the  bark.  If 
the  tree  be  very  much  decayed,  do  not  cut  away 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  71 

all  the  dead  wood  at  once,  which  would  weaken  the 
tree  too  much  and  endanger  its  being  blown  down 
by  the  wind.  It  will,  therefore,  be  necessary  to 
leav«  part  of  the  dead  wood  at  first  to  strengthen 
the  tree,  and  to  cut  it  out  by  degrees  as  the  new 
wood  is  formed.  If  there  be  any  canker  or  gum 
oozing,  the  infected  parts  must  be  pared  off  or 
cut  with  a  proper  instrument.  When  the  stem  is 
very  much  decayed  and  hollow,  it  will  be  necessary 
to  open  the  ground  and  examine  the  roots ;  then 
proceed  as  directed  for  hollow  peach  trees. 

By  using  the  composition  in  a  liquid  state,  more 
than  three  fourths  of  the  time  and  labour  is  saved ; 
and  I  find  it  is  not  so  liable  to  be  thrown  olFas  the 
lips  g*'ow,  as  when  laid  on  in  the  consistence  of 
plaster :  it  adheres  firmly  to  the  naked  part  of  the 
wound,  and  yet  easily  gives  way  as  the  new  wood 
and  bark  advance. 

In  his  introduction  to  the  American  edition  of 
Forsyth,  Mr.  W.  Cobbett  says,  "During  the  last 
summer,  (1801,)  I  went  with  a  party  of  friends  to 
be  an  eye-witness  of  the  eifects  (of  which  I  had 
heard  such  wonders  related)  of  this  gentleman's 
mode  of  cultivating  and  curing  trees ;  and  though 
my  mind  had  received  a  strong  prepossession  in  its 
favour,  what  I  saw  very  far  surpassed  my  expecta- 
tions. Mr.  Forsyth,  whose  book  was  not  then  pub- 
lished, did  us  the  favour  to  show  us  the  manuscript 
of  it,  and  also  the  drawings  for  the  plates,  which 
are  now  to  be  found  at  the  end  of  the  work.  Afler 
having  read  those  parts  of  the  manuscript  which 
more  immediately  referred  to  the  drawings,  we 
went  into  the  gardens,  and  there  saw  every  tree 
which  the  drawings  were  intended  to  represent,  and 
of  which  we  found  them  to  be  a  most  exact  repre- 
sentation. We  examined  these  trees  from  the  ground 
to  the  topmost  branches;  we  counted  the  joints  in 
the  wood ;  ascertained  the  time  and  extent  of  its 
arowth  ;  and,  in  sliort,  voriiied  every  fact   that  the 


72  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

book  related.  To  raise  fine,  flourishing  wood  from 
an  old,  cankered,  gummy,  decayed  stem;  to  raise  as 
much  wood  on  that  stem  in  three  years  as  could 
have  been  raised  on  the  finest  young  tree  in  twelve 
years;  to  take  the  rotten  wood  from  the  trunk;  to 
replace  it  with  sound  wood,  actually  to  fill  up  the 
hollow,  and  of  a  mere  shell  to  make  a  full,  round, 
and  solid  trunk  ;  all  this  seems  incredible,  but  of  all 
this  we  saw  indubitable  proof."  In  the  work  just 
referred  to,  we  have  the  valuable  observations  of 
Peter  W.  Yates,  esquire,  of  Albany,  respecting  For- 
syth's treatise,  as  follow  :  "  Mr.  Forsyth's  treatise 
is  well  calculated  to  rouse  the  care  and  attention  of 
gentlemen  on  this  side  the  Atlantick,  to  the  cultiva- 
tion and  management  of  fruit  trees.  The  perusal 
of  his  pamphlet,  London  edition,  1791,  afforded  him 
both  satisfaction  and  astonishment.  To  renovate 
diseased  trees  fast  hastening  to  decay,  and  to  in- 
crease the  quantity  and  meliorate  the  quality  of  the 
fruit,  in  the  way  prescribed  by  him,  seemed  almost 
incredible."  But  Mr.  Y.  was  induced  to  make  the 
experiment.  Accordingly  in  May,  1796,  he  adopt- 
ed the  mode  of  process  prescribed  by  Forsyth,  on 
a  young  bearing  (bonecretien)  pear  tree,  the  bark 
of  which,  as  well  as  the  alburnum  or  sapwood,  and 
the  heart  wood,  were  dead  from  the  ground  up- 
wards about  five  feet.  He  cut  away  all  the  dead 
part,  leaving  nothing  but  the  bark  on  the  opposite 
side,  and  applied  the  composition.  The  effects  were 
soon  visible  :  the  external  part  of  the  wound,  which 
composed  about  one  third  part  of  the  trunk,  was  in 
n  lew  days  surrounded  by  a  callus  or  lip,  which 
continued  to  increase  until  the  sap-flow  was  obstruct- 
ed and  stagnated  by  the  next  autumnal  frost ;  but 
by  the  subsequent  annual  flow  of  the  juices,  the 
callus  increased  so  as  to  fill  the  wounded  part  with 
new  wood.  The  old  and  new  wood  united,  and  is 
covered  with  new  bark,  in  many  other  instances, 
he  made  similar  experiments  on  various  kinds  of 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  73 

fruit  trees  with  satisfactory  success.  He  is,  there- 
fore, of  opinion,  that  Forsyth's  remedy  affords  a  radi- 
cal cure  for  diseases,  defects,  and  injuries  in  all  kinds 
of  fruit  trees,  and  that  in  pruning,  especially  where 
large  amputations  are  made,  the  composition  ought 
always  to  be  applied,  as  it  prevents  the  exuding  of 
the  vegetable  juices  through  the  wounded  parts, 
aids  and  precipitates  the  healing  of  the  wounds, 
promotes  the  vigour  and  health  of  the  trees,  and 
adds  to  the  size  and  flavour  of  the  fruit. 

The  composition  of  Mr.  Forsyth  does  not,  at  this 
day,  sustain  such  high  reputation  as  formerly.  It 
IS  not  supposed  to  possess  great  efficacy  as  a  medica- 
ment when  applied  to  diseased  trees;  and  for  the 
purpose  of  defence  against  wet  and  heat,  it  is  not 
perhaps  preferable  to  an  ointment  composed  of  ro- 
sin, bees>vax,  and  turpentine.  It  is  probable,  that 
a  composition  consisting  of  clay,  tempered  with 
horse  dung  and  urine,  w^ould  be  found  of  equal  utili- 
ty. We  are  not  unacquainted  with  instances  of 
surgeons  acquiring  great  celebrity  by  the  applica- 
tion of  certain  medicaments  to  old  ulcers,  wnen  in 
verity  the  cure  was  effected  by  the  efforts  of  na- 
ture. 


MEANS  OF  PRESERVING  THE  HEALTH  AND  VIGOUR  OF 
FRUIT  TREES. 

To  promote  the  health  and  vigour  of  fruit  trees, 
Mr.  Forsyth  recommends  the  following  method,  and 
it  has  been  practised  in  our  country  with  the  most 
decided  advantage.  Take  any  quantity  of  urine  and 
soap  suds,  and  add  fresh  cow  dung,  and  a  little  slack- 
ed lime,  sufficient  to  bring  it  to  the  consistence  of 
very  thick  white-wash  or  paint.  After  having 
removed  all  cankery  parts,  and  scraped  off  the 
rough  bark  or  moss  from  the  trees,  this  mixture  is 
to  be  applied  to  the  stems  and  branches  with  a 
brush,  in  the  same  manner  as  the  ceiling  or  walls  of 
10 


74  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

a  room  are  white-washed.     This,  if  done  in  March 
or  April  annually,  will  effectually  destroy  the  eggs 
of  insects,  and  prevent  moss   from  growing  on  the 
trunk  and  branches;  it  will   also  contribute  to  the 
nourishment  of  the  tree,  and  render  the  bark  heal- 
thy, so  that  in  the  course  of  the  first  or  second  sum- 
mer, a  fine  new  bark  of  a   fresh  and  green  a}> 
pearance,  takes  the  place  of  the  old  one.     If  this 
application  be  repeated  in  autumn,  after  the  fall  of 
the   leaves,  it  wiil  have  a  salutary  tendency  in  de- 
stroying the  eggs  of  numerous  insects  that  hatch  in 
autumn  and  winter.     For  the  same  purpose  of  For- 
syth's mixture,  white-washing  with  lime  has  been 
practised,  and  found   very  beneficial  in  producing 
similar  good  effects.      The   application   of  strong, 
undiluted  soft  soap  is  employed  by  Mr.  Ogden,  of 
Flushing,  Long  Island.     The  soap  applied  by  means 
of  a  brush,  destroys  the  moss  and  softens  the  bark, 
and,  when  washed  off  by  rain,  acts  as  a  manure  to 
the  roots.     When  Mr.  O.  began  this    process,  his 
trees  were  covered  with  moss  and  old  scaly  bark, 
and  bore  bad  crops ;  but  in  two  years  all  the  old 
bark  dropped  off,  and  the  trunks  became  as  smooth 
as  a  young  poplar.     The  soaping  may  be  done  at 
any  season,  and  repeated,  if  necessary. 

A  correspondent  of  the  Caledonian  horticultural 
society,  (Scotland,)  recommends  day  paint  for  the 
destruction  of  insects,  and  the  mildew  on  fruit  trees. 
The  instructions  are,  that  you  take  a  quantity  of 
the  most  tenacious  brown  clay  that  can  be  obtained; 
diffuse  among  it  as  much  soft  water  as  will  bring  it 
to  the  consistence  of  soft  cream  or  paint ;  pass  it 
through  a  fine  sieve,  so  that  it  may  be  made  per- 
fectly smooth  and  unctuous,  and  freed  from  any 
gritty  particles.  With  a  painter's  brush  dipped  in 
the  clay  paint,  go  carefully  over  the  whole  tree, 
not  excepting  the  young  shoots.  This  layer,  when 
it  becomes  dry,  forms  a  hard  crust,  which,  envelop- 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  75 

ing  the  insects  closelj,  completely  destroys  them 
without  doing  the  smallest  injury  either  to  the  bark 
or  buds.  ^ 

Whatever  promotes  a  free  circulation  of  the  sap, 
as  cleaning  the  bark  from  scales,  and  scraping  it  to 
make  it  tender  and  yielding;  and  whatever  helps  to 
perfect  the  maturation  of  the  sap  in  the  leaves  of 
the  tree,  by  giving  them  a  full  exposure  to  the  sun 
and  air,  as  by  cutting  out  the  central  branches  when 
the  head  is  too  bushy,  and  giving  it  an  expanded 
form,  promotes  the  growth,  general  health,  and 
productiveness  of  the  tree. 

In  case  the  trees  are  observed  to  be  hide-hound^ 
as  it  is  termed,  when  the  bark  cracks  by  reason  of 
the  stem  growing  faster  than  the  bark,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  pass  the  point  of  a  knife  perpendicu- 
larly through  the  outer  bark  only,  from  the  ground 
as  high  as  the  branches,  taking  care  not  to  injure 
the  inner  bark.  It  not  unfrequently  happens,  that 
from  the  intense  rays  of  the  sun  of  summer,  striking 
nearly  at  right  angles,  the  sap  on  the  south  side  of 
the  trees  becomes  so  coaoulated  as  to  occasion  the 
death  of  the  bark;  canker  ensues,  and  finally,  the 
tree  itself  is  entirely  destroyed.  As  a  remedy  for 
this  serious  evil,  a  coat  of  the  abovementioned  clay 
paint,  or  Forsyth's  composition,  it  is  presumed  will 
prove  effectual. 


MEANS  OF  PREVENTING  THE  FLOWERS  AND  FRUIT  FALL- 
ING OFF,  AND  OF  RETARDING  THEIR  OPENING. 

The  means  proposed  to  retard  the  opening  of 
flowers,  consist  in  making,  in  the  autumn,  a  ligature 
on  the  stems  of  the  young  trees ;  that  compression 
slackens  the  motion  of  the  sap's  rising,  and  the  tree 
blossoms  the  later.  Fruits  are  also  liable  to  fall  off 
as  well  as  flowers.  We  see  trees,  which,  after  hav- 
ing had  a  great  abundance  of  flowers,  are  covea'ed 
with  young  fruit,  that  promises  the  most  plentiful 


7^  CULTURE   AND    MANAGEMENT 

crop;  but  it  sometimes  happens  that  thej  almost 
all  drop  off.  This  accident  is  too  frequent  with  apple 
and  pear  trees.  The  way  to  remedy  this  inconve- 
nience, is,  to  sprinkle  the  root  or  foot  of  the  trees, 
when  they  are  in  blossom,  with  five  or  six  buckets 
of  water;  and  to  preserve  the  humidity,  the  bottom 
must  be  covered  with  straw,  which  prevents  too 
hasty  an  evaporation  of  the  water :  by  these  means 
the  flowers  and  buds  are  preserved  from  falling  off. 


DISEASES  AND  OTHER  INCIDENTS  WHICH  RENDER  FRUIT 
TREES    UNPRODUCTIVE. 

All  the  maxims  relative  to  fruit  trees,  it  is  said, 
centre  in  the  wopd  health.  The  great  object  of  the 
fruit  farmer,  says  Marshall,  is  to  produce  a  crop 
every  year;  and  nothing  is  more  likely  to  obtain  it, 
than  keeping  the  trees  in  perfect  health,  and  en- 
deavouring to  prevent  their  bearing  beyond  their 
strength,  in  a  general  fruit  year.  The  enemies  of 
fruit  trees,  says  the  author,  are  a  redundancy  of 
wood,  moss,  spring  frosts,  blights,  insects,  an  excess 
of  fruit,  old  age.  To  these  should  be  added  canker. 
Some  of  them  are  beyond  human  reach,  but  most 
of  them  are  within  the  control  of  art.  The  term 
blight  is  of  vague  signification.  Black  blighting  winds 
are  talked  of  every  where,  but  no  definite  idea  is 
any  where  affixed  to  the.  expression.  That  corn 
and  fruit  become  unproductive  without  any  visible 
cause,  and  that  fruit  trees  are  liable  to  be  infected 
with  insects,  are  certainly  facts.  But  whether  in- 
sects be  the  cause  or  the  effect  of  blights,  does  not 
appear  to  be  yet  settled.  With  respect  to  blights, 
all  the  assistance  Avhich  art  can  render,  is  to  keep 
the  trees  nn  a  state  of  healthfulness,  and  prevent, 
as  much  as  possible,  an  excess  of  fruit.  As  old  age 
cannot  be  prevented,  we  have  only  to  consider  how 
th^  productiveness  of  trees  may  be  protracted.  I 
kftve  seen,  says  he,  healthy  bearing  apple  trees 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  77 

"which  now  wear  their  second  top.  The  first  tops 
being  worn  out,  were  cut  off,  and  the  stumps  saw- 
grafted.  Sometimes  we  see  trees  so  far  gone  in 
decay,  that  their  productiveness  no  longer  repays 
their  incumbrance  of  the  soil.  How  injudicious,  in 
such  case,  is  the  conduct  of  the  proprietor,  who 
permits  such  trees  to  remain  year  after  year,  im- 
bibins^  and  wasting  tlie  substance  of  his  soil  I  JHoss 
is  chiefly,  perhaps,  owing  to  the  nature  of  the  soil, 
and  cannot  be  altogether  prevented;  but  it  may  in 
most  cases,  be  checked,  and  its  evil  effects  in  a  great 
measure  avoided.  "  I  have  seen  several  orchards," 
observes  our  author,  "  in  which  the  trees  were  al- 
most entirely  subdued  by  this  vegetable  vermin. 
Some  of  the  trees  with,  perhaps,  only  one  bough 
left  alive,  and  others  entirely  killed,  and  yet  suffer- 
ed to  remain,  an  incumbrance  to  tlie  ground,  and  a 
disgrace  to  the  country."  It  would  appear,  by  the 
above  observations  of  Mr.  M.,  that  the  same  culpa- 
ble neglect  in  the  management  of  fruit  trees  prevails 
in  England  as  in  our  own  country. 

Blight,  says  another  writer,  means,  the  effects  of 
cold  winds,  or  hoar-frosts  on  the  foliage  and  blos- 
soms of  trees.  Easterly  winds,  accompanied  with 
fogs,  often  produce  blights ;  the  buTls  are  nipped, 
and  the  tender  vessels  burst,  innumerable  insects 
soon  appear,  and  the  branches  become  withered. 
"  By  accident,"  says  Dr.  Mease,  "  Mr.  Cooper  of 
New  Jersey,  discovered  some  years  since,  that  a 
tree  upon  which  a  number  of  iron  hoops  and  other 
articles  of  iron  had  been  hung,  remained  free  from 
blight,  while  all  the  rest  suffered  severely.  Since 
that  year  he  has  constantly  encircled  two  or  three 
branches  of  every  tree  with  an  iron  hoop,  and  with 
uniform  success.  As  a  proof,  he  pointed  out  one 
tree  with  a  withered  limb  near  the  top,  and  ob- 
served, that  he  had  neglected  to  defend  it  last  year. 
Philosophers  may  speculate  as  to  the  theory  of  the 
operation  of  the  iron,  and  cause  of  the   blast,  but 


78  CULTURE   AND    MANAGEMENT 

practical  men  will  be  contented  with  a  knowledge 
of  the  important  fact,  which  comes  from  a  man  of 
judgment  and  of  an  observing  disposition,  who  has 
again  and  again  satisfied  himself  that  no  deception 
or  accidental  circumstance  occurred,  by  reference 
to  which  the  preservation  of  his  hooped  trees  could 
be  accounted  for." 


CANKER. 

Apple  trees  are  very  liable   to  be  atfected  with 
the  canker.     This   disease    occasions   the   bark  to 
grow  rough  and  scabby,  and  turns  the  wood  affect- 
ed to  a  rusty  brown  colour ;  and  if  no  remedy  be 
applied,  will  in  time  kill  the  tree.     It  is  by  some 
described  as  a  sort  of  gangrene,  which  usually  be- 
gins at  the  extremities  of  the   branches,  and  pro- 
ceeds towards  the  trunk,  killing  the  tree  in  two  or 
three  years.     Peter  Yates,  esquire,  of  Albany,  ob- 
serves, that  liis   fruit   trees  became  affected  with 
the  canker,  generally  appearing  on  the  southwest 
side  of  the  body  or  trunk  of  the  tree.     The  bark  of 
the  infected  part  at  first  appeared  dark,    and   at 
length  rough,  wrinkled,  cracked,  and  dead.    The  in- 
fection annually  increased ;  it  communicated  to  the 
alburnum  or  sap  wood ;  the  circulation  of  the  saj> 
juice  was  obstructed ;  it  gradually   diminished  ;  it 
stagnated ;  and  the  tree  perished.  The  general  opi- 
nion respecting  the  cause  of  this  disease  is,  that  it 
proceeds  chiefly  from  the  nature  of  the  soil.     Mr. 
Forsyth,  however,  proves  from  experience,  that  it 
originates  from  the  following  circumstances,  name- 
ly :  injudicious  pruning ;  leaving  the  foot  stalks   of 
fruit  on  trees  after  it  has  been  gathered;  bruises, 
arising;  from  the  use  of  ladders  in  collectins:  fruit ; 
and  dead  shoots,  left  on  trees  during  the  summer. 
But,  says  Mr.  Yates,  "  it  seems  extraordinary,  that 
the  fruit  trees  in  this  climate  are  almost  invariably 
affected  on  the  southwest  side  of  the  trunk  or  body 


OP   FRUIT    TREES.  79 

of  the  trees.     There  it  generally  commences,  and 
continues  to  increase  annually,  until  the  infection  is 
communicated  to  the  limbs.     If  I  might  be  per- 
mitted to  hazard  an  opinion,  I  would  account  for  it 
as  follows  :  That  it  is  caused  by  the  hot   rays  of 
the  meridian  sun,  which  in   that  direction  is  most 
powerful,   and  strikes  the  tree  nearly  at  right  an- 
gles.    The  south  side    of  trees   grows  faster,  for 
there  the  vegetation  is  more  rapid,  than  the  north : 
this  may  be  seen  by  the  concentrick  rings  of  a  tree 
when  cut   or   sawed  into  logs.     Fruit  trees  gene- 
rally incline  to  the  northeast,  Avhich  exposes  their 
trunks  to   the   influence    of  that   luminary  in  the 
spring,  when  the   sap-juice  is  subject  to  alternate 
freezing   and    thawing.     The   motion    of  the   sap 
(which  ascends  in   the  vernal  months  in  all  deci- 
duous trees)  is  accelerated  by  the  hot  rays  of  the 
sun  at  southwest.     It  is  retarded  and  stagnated  in 
the  cool  of  the  nights,  whereby  the  irritability  of 
the  vegetable  vessels  is  decreased   for  want  of  a 
sufficient  stimulus  of  heat ;  and  by  this  alternate 
thawing  and  freezing  of  the  sap-juice,  and  particu- 
larly on  the  southwest  side  of  the  tree,   where  the 
sun's  rays  are  most  powerful,  the  vegetation  is  at 
last  destroyed,  and  mortification   ensues."     It  fre- 
quently happens,  that  scions  for  grafting  are  taken 
from  infected  trees  ;  and  the  young  trees  produced 
in  this  way  are,  as  might   be  expected,   peculiarly 
obnoxious  to   the  disease.     From  whatever  cause 
the  canker  may  arise,  Mr.  Forsyth  directs  all  the 
diseased  parts  to  be  cut  out  with   a  sharp  instru- 
ment ;  and  if  the  inner  white  bark  be  affected,  this 
also  must  be  cut  away,  until  no  appearance  of  in- 
fection remains.     The  composition   must  then   be 
applied.     This  method  Mr.   Yates   has  found  by 
experience  to  prove  effectual.     (See  directions  for 
making   and  laying  on   the   composition,  page  69.) 
Mr.  Cooper,  of  New  Jersey,  has  found   the  best 


W  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

remedy  for  canker  to  be  a  composition  of  rosin, 
tallow,  and  beeswax,  of  a  proper  consistence  t» 
•tick,  after  taking  off  all  the  dead  parts. 

MOSS,  AND  SCALY  BARK,  AND  DECORTICATION. 

Fruit  trees,  in  all  soils,  and  in  all  situations,  are 
liable  to  have  their  trunks  covered  with  moss,  and 
their  bark  rough  and  scaly.  Besides  the  unseemly 
appearance,  fruit  trees  suffer  much  injury  by  these 
causes,  if  suffered  to  continue  without  a  remedy. 
The  moss  is  easily  removed  by  scraping  with  the 
back  of  a  knife,  and  rubbing  with  a  cloth,  after  a 
rain,  or  in  damp  weather  ;  and  the  scaly  bark  may 
with  equal  facility  be  scraped  off  with  a  hoe  or 
knife.  This  operation  should  be  performed  every 
spring,  and  immediately  after,  the  trunks  and  larger 
branches  should  receive  a  proper  coat  of  some  of 
the  compositions  already  mentioned.  Either  the 
washing  with  the  liquids,  or  the  application  of  un- 
diluted soap,  (see  page  74)  will  effectually  remove 
any  remains  of  moss,  and,  if  occasionally  repeated, 
the  health  and  vigour  of  the  trees  will  be  re- 
stored, and  in  two  years  the  bark  will  appear  fresh 
and  smooth.  In  some  diseased  condition  of  the 
bark  of  apple  trees,  the  experiment  of  disbarking 
the  whole  trunk  from  the  ground  to  the  branches, 
has  been  successfully  practised.  Dr.  S.  L.  Mitchell, 
of  New  York,  in  the  summer  of  1799,  deprived 
the  whole  body  of  one  of  his  apple  trees  of  the 
bark,  without  injury  to  its  leaves  or  fruit;  and  in 
two  months  an  entire  new  coat  of  bark  was  found 
surrounding  the  wood  on  every  side.  Dr.  M., 
however,  observes,  that  though  he  has  several 
times  been  witness  of  the  harmlessness  of  the  prac- 
tice, it  looked  to  him  still  like  a  very  violent  and 
hazardous  remedy.  This  sort  of  decortication  is 
by  no  means  a  novelty.  Many  ancient  writers 
have  observed,  tliat  in  cases  where  the  outer  bark 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  81 

has  become  rough  and  full  of  chinks,  so  that  small 
insects  deposit  their  eggs  and  produce  their  larva? 
below  this  bark,  it  is  a  good  practice  entirely  to  re- 
move it.  Of  late  years,  Mr.  Knight  practised  de- 
cortication on  some  old  fruit  trees,  particularly  red- 
streak  apples,  and  found  the  new  growth  thus  pro- 
duced quite  surprising,  so  that  the  growth  of  some 
trees,  deprived  of  their  bark  in  1801,  exceeded  in 
the  summer  of  1802  the  increase  of  the  five  pre- 
ceding years  taken  together.  This  method  has 
been  adopted  in  various  parts  of  New  England,  some- 
times with  complete  success,  and  again,  the  result 
has  been  the  entire  destruction  of  the  trees.  This 
failure  is  attributed,  by  an  ingenious  writer  in  the 
Massachusetts  Agricultural  Repository,  to  a  want 
of  skill  in  the  operator ;  observing,  that  he  has  seen 
a  young  apple  tree  in  the  town  of  Hallowell,  which, 
on  account  of  some  defect,  was  stripped  of  its 
bark  about  ten  years  prior  to  his  writing,  the 
longest  day  of  June,  and  which  still  lives  and  bears 
fruit.  Much  of  its  success,  it  is  said,  depends  on 
the  proper  time  and  manner  of  performing  the  ope- 
ration. It  should  be  done  while  the  tree  is  in  the 
full  flow  of  sap,  about  the  middle  of  June,  or  on 
the  longest  day  of  that  month,  and  the  bark  should 
be  peeled  off  entirely  smooth  to  the  alburnum.  It 
is  scarcely  probable,  however,  that  our  farmers 
will  be  disposed  to  resort  to  this  troublesome  and 
uncertain  expedient,  when  the  milder  methods 
above  described  will  answer  every  purpose. 

Fruit  trees  are  liable  to  have  their  bark  torn  off 
by  field  mice,  sheep,  and  rarious  accidents :  to  re- 
medy which,  take  some  strips  of  bark  from  a  tree 
of  the  same  species,  about  two  or  three  inches  in 
width,  and  place  four  or  five  of  them,  according  to 
the  size  of  the  wound,  perpendicularly  round  the 
naked  part.  The  edges  of  the  torn  bark  being  cut 
smooth,  the  sound  bark  should  be  a  little  raised, 
and  the  slips  inserted  beneath  it  to  promote  the 

n 


82  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

circulation  of  the  sap.  The  shpa  are  next  to  be 
bound  quite  tight  with  rope-yarn,  and  the  compo- 
sition of  Forsyth,  or  a  mixture  of  loam  and  cow- 
dung,  must  be  applied,  and  this  covered  with  a 
coarse  cloth.  This  method  of  treatment  has  been 
successfully  practised ;  the  slips  adhere  closely, 
and,  being  full  of  sap,  soon  become  firm  and  smooth. 
Instead  of  bark  slips,  small  twigs  may  be  success- 
fully applied  in  a  similar  manner. 


SPRING  FROSTS,   AND  OTHER  CAUSES  AFFECTING   THE 
BLOSSOMS. 

Every  cultivator  of  fruit  trees  has  experienced 
more  or  less  disappointment  in  his  expected  crop  of 
apple,  pear,  and  other  fruit  trees,  after  having  ex- 
hibited the  fairest  prospect  in  the  vernal  season. 
While  in  full  blossom,  and  the  fruit  just  beginning  to 
form,  the  petals  are  cast  off,  like  the  dead  leaves  in 
autumn.  This  incident  is  said  to  be  occasioned  by 
warm  and  drying  winds,  by  which  the  vigour  of  the 
trees  is  diminished.  In  one  instance  it  appears  that 
a  remedy  has  been  successfully  applied,  and  the  loss 
and  inconvenience  prevented.  J.  Sowerby,  esquire, 
in  the  spring  of  1815,  observed  that  the  drying 
winds  generally  succeeded  the  blossoming  of  his 
fruit  trees ;  the  whole  used  to  be  blown  off  about 
the  time  of  the  setting  of  the  young  fruit.  Deem- 
ing it  probable  that  a  good  dose  of  water  at  the 
roots  would  strengthen  the  tree,  and  save  the  fruit, 
the  experiment  was  tried,  and  the  good  effect  was 
perceived  in  twenty-four  hours;  the  young  fruit 
then  resisted  the  attack  of  the  winds,  and  a  large 
crop  was  produced.  Not  only  were  the  trees  ena- 
bled to  produce  then'  fruit  in  abundance,  but  also  to 
increase  them  in  size  to  nearly  double.  The  blos- 
soms of  apple  trees  are  liable  to  be  injured  or  de- 
stroyed by  various  other  causes ;  as  severe  cold,  a 
hazy  state  of  the  atmosphere,  frosts,  and  insects  of 


OF   FRUIT   TREES,  83 

various  kinds ;  and  Mr.  Knight  has  remarked,  that 
they  also  fail  frequently  from  want  of  impregnation 
when  the  weather  is  unusually  hot  and  dry,  or  when 
cold  winds  prevail,  as  he  often  observed  the  farina 
to  wither  and  die  on  the  anthers  in  such  seasons. 

Spring  frosts  are  an  enemy,  against  which  per- 
haps it  is  most  difficult  to  guard  orchard  trees.  "  Dry 
frosts,"  says  Marshall,  "  are  observed  to  have  no 
other  effects  than  keeping  the  blossoms  back ;  con- 
sequently, are  frequently  serviceable  to  fruit  trees. 
But  wet  frosts,  namely,  frosts  after  a  rain,  or  a  fog- 
gy air,  and  before  the  trees  have  had  time  to  dry, 
are  very  injurious  even  to  the  buds.  An  instance 
is  mentioned,  in  which  a  flying  hazy  shower  in  the 
evening  was  succeeded  by  a  smart  frost ;  that  side 
of  the  trees,  against  which  the  haze  drove,  was  en- 
tirely cut  off,  while  the  opposite  side,  which  had 
escaped  the  moisture,  likewise  escaped  the  effect  of 
the  frost.  Much,  however,  may  depend  on  the 
strength  of  the  blossoms.  When  the  buds  form, 
and  the  blossoms  break  forth  with  unusual  vio;our, 
they  are  enabled  by  their  own  strength  to  set  com- 
mon enemies  at  defiance.  But,  on  the  contrary, 
when  the  blossoms  sicken  in  the  bud,  and  those 
which  open  are  weak  and  languid,  scarcely  an  ap- 
ple will  be  produced.  The  assistance,  therefore, 
required  from  art,  in  this  case,  is  by  keeping  the 
trees  in  a  healthy,  vigorous  state,  to  enable  them  to 
throw  out  a  strength  of  bud  and  blossom;  and  by 
keeping  them  thin  of  wood,  to  give  them  an  oppor- 
tunity of  drying  quickly  before  the  frost  sets  in." 
Apple  blossoms  are,  in  some  seasons,  injured  by  the 
devastations  of  an  uncommon  number  of  insects  pro- 
duced from  a  species  of  black  flies,  which  deposit 
their  eggs  in  the  bud  at  its  first  opening,  and  which, 
by  feeding  on  the  heart  of  the  bud,  soon  occasion  it 
to  contract  and  drop.  To  remedy  this  fatal  effect, 
we  are  advised  to  collect  heaps  of  long  dung,  Avet 
straw,  weeds,  &;c.,  to  dispose  them  in  different  parts 


84'  CULTURE  AND  MAKAGEMENT 

of  the  orchard,  and  set  fire  to  the  heaps  in  that 
quarter  from  which  the  wind  blows,  so  that  the 
smoke  may  thoroughly  fumigate  all  the  trees.  Thus 
the  insects,  which  are  supposed  to  be  brouglit  by 
the  wind,  will  be  prevented  from  depositing  their 
eggs. 

CANKER  WORM. 

Of  all  the  numerous  tribes  of  insects  v/hich  in- 
fest fruit  trees,  and  disappoint  the  hopes  of  the  cul- 
tivator, the  canker  worm,  during  the  years  of  its 
prevalence,  is  the  most  to  be  dreaded.  This  de- 
structive insect  has,  therefore,  baffled  the  efforts  of 
man,  and,  in  despite  of  all  means  of  prevention  as 
yet  devised,  commits  its  depredations,  and  deprives 
whole  orchards  of  foliage  and  fruit.  The  miller, 
or  moth,  rises  from  the  earth  in  the  spring,  conceals 
itself  during  the  day  in  holes  and  crevices  under  the 
loose  bark  of  apple  trees,  and  may  be  easily  found 
by  searching.  The  male  has  wings,  but  the  female 
appears  to  have  none ;  they  are  enabled,  however, 
to  ascend  the  trunk  of  the  tree,  and  crawl  towards 
the  extremities  of  the  twigs,  where  they  deposit 
their  eggs,  and  as  soon  as  the  leaves  unfold  and 
sprout  forth,  the  worm  bursts  from  the  egg  and 
commences  its  ravages.  The  worms  soon  spin  for 
themselves  long  threads,  similar  to  those  of  spiders, 
by  which  they  are  suspended  in  the  air,  and  wafted 
by  the  wind  from  tree  to  tree,  and  from  one  ad- 
joining orchard  to  another,  preying  voraciously  upon 
the  foliage,  and  giving  the  trees  the  appearance  of 
being  bm'nt.  Professor  Peck,  of  Cambridge,  has 
favoured  the  publick  with  the  most  satisfactory 
history  of  this  insect,  which  has  yet  appeared.  Ac- 
cording to  him,  the  worms  descend  by  the  trunks 
of  the  trees  in  June,  and  immure  themselves  in  the 
earth  near  the  trunks,  and  rarely,  if  ever,  more 
than  three  to  four  feet  distant ;  in  grass  land  from 


OF   FRUIT   TREES.  85 

one  to  four  inches  deep,  and  in  ploughed  land  not 
more  than  to  the  depth  of  seven  or  eight  inches. 
He  has  also  ascertained  that  a  part  of  the  canker 
moths  rise  in  the  autumn  and  deposit  their  eggs. 
They  are  such  as  were  an  inch  or  two  below  the 
surface  ;  those  which  lie  deeper  are  not  affected  hj 
the  transient  changes  of  the  atmosphere  in  Novem- 
ber, and  do  not  rise  till  the  spring.  The  chrysalis 
state  comes  in  twenty-four  hours  after  the  larvae 
has  penetrated  the  earth,  and  it  appears  that  the 
insects  are  soon  perfect,  since  a  course  of  warm 
weather  has  been  found  to  raise  some  of  them  from 
the  earth  in  November.  Those  which  rise  in  No- 
vember are  not  very  numerous,  compared  with 
those  which  rise  in  the  spring,  but  being  very  pro- 
lifick,  are  exceedingly  injurious,  if  no  means  are 
taken  to  prevent  their  ascending  the  trees  ;  as  the 
winter's  frost  does  not  kill  the  eggs.  The  warmth 
of  the  season  at  the  time  of  the  descent  into  the 
soil  is  favourable  to  the  perfect  development  of  the 
insect  in  the  chrysalis,  particularly  those  Avhich  are 
nearest  the  surface,  while  those  at  the  depth  of 
six  or  seven  inches  are  longer  in  coming  to  maturi- 
ty. The  first  are  perfect  in  September,  and  re- 
quire only  to  be  excited  to  burst  from  their  con- 
finement ;  but  they  cannot  be  excited  until  they 
have  passed  through  a  degree  of  cold  sufficient  to 
make  them  sensible  of  the  mild  temperature  of  the 
atmosphere  which  occurs  in  November.  The  ex- 
citability of  such  as  lie  deeper,  and  are  not  accessi- 
ble by  cold  till  a  later  period  of  the  season,  is  not 
so  soon  accumulated,  nor  are  they  sensible  of  slight 
changes  of  temperature,  which  affect  only  the  sur- 
face ;  they,  therefore,  do  not  leave  the  earth  till 
the  spring,  when  the  warmth  of  the  air  is  longer 
continued,  and  penetrates  to  the  depth  at  which 
they  lie.  To  prevent  the  dreadful  ravages  of  the 
canker  worm,  the  great  object  is  to  keep  the  female 
from  ascending  the  trees.     For  this  purpose  vari- 


89  CULTURE   AND   MANAGEMENT 

ous  methods  have  been  proposed.  A  writer  in 
Carey's  American  Museum,  August,  1792,  says, 
"  Canker  worms  never  destroy  apple  trees  which 
stand  on  a  stiff  clay,  or  in  low  ground,  where  water 
stands  long  in  the  spring.  The  reason  for  this  is 
obvious.  The  canker  worm,  about  the  10th  of 
June,  descends  into  the  earth,  there  to  lie  till  the 
next  spring,  when  the  miller  rises  and  ascends  the 
trees.  This  worm  is  not  strong,  nor  furnished  with 
the  necessary  implements  for  digging  into  a  hard 
stiff  clay ;  of  course  it  cannot  bury  itself  in  clay,  and 
is  not  fond  of  gravel.  The  writer  therefore  pro- 
poses to  lay  a  covering  of  stiff  clay  round  trees  which 
stand  on  sand  or  other  light  earth.  This  covering 
or  layer  may  be  thrown  upon  the  top  of  the  natural 
soil,  which  may  be  removed  to  the  depth  of  a  few 
inches.  If  the  elay  be  laid  on  in  summer,  after  the 
descent  of  the  worm,  it  may  prevent  the  miller  from 
rising  in  the  spring ;  if  when  the  worm  is  upon  the 
tree,  it  may  prevent  its  tinding  a  lodging;  but  as  in 
the  latter  case,  the  worm  might  travel  some  dis- 
tance beyond  the  limits  of  the  layer,  it  might  be  bet- 
ter to  form  the  layer  round  the  tree  after  the  de- 
scent of  the  worm  in  June." 

According  to  Dr.  Dean's  New  England  Farmer, 
it  is  now  about  eighty  years  since  New  England 
was  first  visited  by  these  destructive  insects.  He 
observes,  if  any  person  could  invent  some  easy, 
cheap,  and  effectual  method  of  subduing  them,  he 
would  merit  the  thanks  of  the  publick,  and  more 
especially  of  every  OAvner  of  an  orchard.  Several 
methods  have  been  tried  with  some  degree  of  suc- 
cess. 1.  Tarring.  A  strip  of  canvass  is  put  round 
the  body  of  the  tree,  before  the  ground  is  open  in 
the  spring,  and  well  smeared  with  tar.  The  fe- 
males, in  attempting  to  pass  over  it,  stick  fast  and 
perish.  But  unless  the  tarring  be  renewed  very 
frequently,  it  will  become  hard,  and  permit  the  in- 
sects  to  pass  safely  over  it.     And  renewing  tht 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  87 

tar  in  season  Is  too  apt  to  be  neglected,  through 
hurry  of  business  and  forgetfulness.  The  insects 
are  so  amazingly  prolifick,  that  if  ever  so  few  of 
them  get  up,  a  tree  is  ruined,  at  least  for  the  en- 
suing season.  2.  The  pasturing  of  swine  in  an  or- 
chard Dr.  Dean  supposes  to  be  an  excellent  me- 
thod, where  it  can  conveniently  be  done.  With 
their  snouts  and  their  feet  they  will  destroy  many 
of  the  insects  before  they  come  out  of  the  ground ; 
and  he  has  never  known  any  orchard  constantly 
used  as  a  hog-pasture,  wholly  destroyed,  or  even 
made  wholly  unfruitful  by  worms.  But  this  me- 
thod cannot  always  be  taken ;  and  if  it  could,  he 
does  not  suppose  it  would  be  quite  effectual.  He 
considers  tarring  as  the  preferable  antidote,  and 
gives  the  following  directions  for  applying  the  arti- 
cle in  the  most  effectual  manner. 

In  the  first  place,  it  is  necessary  to  begin  the  ope- 
ration very  early  in  the  year.  Not  observing  this 
caution  has  occasioned  the  want  of  success  which 
many  have  complained  of;  for  it  is  certain  that  the 
bugs  will  begin  to  pass  up  as  soon  as  the  ground  is 
so  much  thawed,  that  they  can  extricate  them- 
selves ;  which  is,  in  some  years,  as  early  as  Feb- 
ruary. Therefore,  to  make  sure  work,  it  is  best 
to  begin  as  soon  as  the  ground  is  bare  of  snow  in 
that  month,  that  the  first  thawing  of  the  ground 
may  not  happen  before  the  trees  are  prepared; 
for  beginning  after  ever  so  few  of  the  insects  have 
gone  up,  the  labour  will  all  be  lost.  Another 
thing  to  be  observed  is,  to  fill  the  crevices  of  the 
bark  with  clay  mortar  before  the  strip  of  linen  or 
canvass  is  put  on,  that  the  insects  may  not  find  any 
passages  for  them  under  it.  Having  put  on  the 
strip,  which  should  be  at  least  three  inches  wide, 
drawn  it  close,  and  strongly  fastened  the  ends  to- 
gether, a  thumb-rope  of  tow  should  be  tied  round 
the  tree,  close  to  the  lower  edge  of  the  strip. 
The  design  of  doing;  this  is.  that   the  tar  may  not 


CULTURE  AN©  MANAGEMENT 


drip,  nor  run  doAvn  on  the  bark  of  the  tree,  whick 
would  injure  it.  When  all  the  trees  of  an  orchard 
are  thus  prepared,  let  the  strips  be  plentifully 
smeared  with  cold  tar,  put  on  with  a  brush.  It 
should  be  renoAved  once  a  day  without  fail.  The 
best  time  is  soon  after  sun-set,  because  the  insects 
are  wont  to  pass  up  in  the  evening,  and  the  tar 
will  not  harden  so  much  in  the  night  as  in  the  day, 
because  of  the  dampness  of  the  air.  The  daily 
task  must  be  renewed,  and  performed  with  the 
greatest  care,  till  the  latter  end  of  May,  or  till  the 
time  when  the  hatching  of  the  worms  is  commonly 
over,  which  will  be  earlier  or  later,  according  to 
the  difference  of  climate. 

Another  mode  of  tarring,  and  which  bids  fair  to 
be  preferred  to  the  foregoing,  is  as  follows :  Take 
two  pretty  wide  pieces  of  board ;  plane  them ; 
make  semicircular  notches  in  each,  fitting  them  to 
the  stem  or  body  of  the  tree  ;  and  fasten  them  to- 
gether securely  at  the  ends,  so  that  the  most  vio- 
lent winds  and  storms  may  not  displace  nor  stir 
them.  The  crevices  betwixt  the  boards  and  the 
tree  may  be  easily  stopped  with  rags  or  tow: 
then  smear  the  under  sides  of  the  boards  with 
tar.  The  tar  being  defended  from  the  direct  rays 
of  the  sun,  will  hold  its  tenacity  the  longer,  and, 
therefore,  will  not  need  to  be  frequently  renewed; 
and  the  trees  may  be  secured  more  in  this  way 
from  the  dripping  of  the  tar,  as  a  margin  of  two 
^r  three  inches,  next  to  the  tree,  may  be  left  un- 
smeared. 

"  The  remedy  of  tarring,"  says  professor  Peck, 
"  was  probably  first  suggested  by  the  structure  of 
the  female  insect,  which,  happily  for  man,  has  no 
wings.  If  this  remedy  were  diligently  and  univer- 
sally used,  it  would  very  likely  rid  us  of  this  pest ; 
it  must,  indeed,  be  granted,  at  a  considerable  ex- 
pense. But  the  negligence  of  many  will  counter- 
act the  vigilance  of  a  few,  whatever  remedy  may 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  89 

be  proposed  or  discovered.  Mr.  P.  recommends, 
1st.  Turning  up  the  ground  carefully  in  October, 
as  far  as  the  branches  of  a  tree  extend,  to  half  a 
spade's  depth  or  five  inches,  so  as  completely  to 
invert  the  surface.  A  great  number  of  chrysalids 
would  thus  be  exposed  to  the  air  and  sun,  and  of 
course  be  destroyed.  2dly.  Breaking  the  clods  and 
smoothing  the  surface  with  a  rake,  and  passing  a 
heavy  roller  over  it,  so  as  to  make  it  very  hard, 
and  without  cracks.  By  these  two  operations  eve- 
ry vestige  of  their  downward  path  would  be  com- 
pletely obliterated,  and  if  any  remained  undisturb- 
ed below  the  stratum  of  earth  which  has  been 
turned  up,  they  must  remain  there,  as  it  is  utterly 
impossible  for  them  to  force  their  way  in  the  moth 
or  miller  state,  through  such  an  obstruction  as  this 
layer  of  earth  would  oppose  to  them.  In  grass 
grounds  the  sods  should  be  turned  with  the  grass 
side  down,  and  placed  side  by  side,  so  as  to  be  roll- 
ed ;  the  earth  from  which  they  were  taken  should 
be  loosed  and  rolled  also.  It  is  probable,  that  with 
this  treatment  no  moths  would  rise  in  the  fall.  The 
winter's  frosts  would  heave  and  crack  the  smooth 
surface,  but  it  might  be  smoothed  and  hardened  by 
the  roller  or  other  means,  in  March,  with  much  less 
trouble,  time,  and  expense,  than  the  long  course  of 
tarring  requires.  As  lime,  when  slacked,  is  reduced 
to  an  impalpable  powder,  and  is  thus  well  adapted 
to  close  the  least  openings  in  the  surface  to  which 
it  may  be  washed  by  rains,  Mr.  P.  is  inclined  to 
think  its  good  effects  are  produced  in  this  v»'ay  as 
well  as  by  its  caustick  quality." 

Mr.  Kenrick's  method  of  destroying  the  Canker  Worm. 

John  Kenrick,  esquire,  of  Newton,  proposes  as 
follows  :   From   any  time  in  June,  after  the  worms 
have  entirely  disappeared,  until  the  20th  of  Octo- 
ber, let  the  whole  of  the  soil  surrounding  the  trees, 
12 


90  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

to  the  extent  at  least  of  four  feet  from  the  trunk, 
and  to  a  suitable  depth,  be  dug  up  and  carted  awaj 
to  a  distance  from  any  trees  the  canker  worms  are 
in  the  habit  of  feeding  upon;  and  let  there  be  re- 
turned an  equal  quantity  of  compost,  or  rich  earth 
intermixed  with  manure.  The  earth  taken  from 
the  trees,  will  make  a  substantial  ingredient  in 
compost.  If  a  few  straggling  canker  worms  appear 
on  any  of  the  trees  the  spring  following,  let  such 
trees  be  marked,  that  the  operation  may  be  repeat- 
ed the  succeeding  summer.  The  process  proposed 
will  not  only  accelerate  the  growth,  and  increase 
the  fruitfulness  of  the  trees,  but  will  prove  a  con- 
siderable guard  to  them  against  the  depredations 
of  moles  in  the  winter  following;  advantages  which 
will  abundantly  outweigh  the  whole  expense.  But 
the  pre-eminent  advantage  obtained,  Avill  be  to  have 
captured  those  destructive  invaders,  broken  up 
and  completely  destroyed  their  encampments. 
Annual  tarring,  the  only  remedy  in  general  use, 
instead  of  being  beneficial  to  the  trees,  is  allowed 
on  all  hands  to  be  injurious.  The  seasons  being 
variable,  it  requires  considerable  care  and  skill  to 
know  when  to  begin ;  if  one  day  too  late,  some  of 
the  canker  moths  will  have  ascended  the  trees; 
if  four  days  too  early,  so  much  labour  and  tar 
are  lost.  The  same  difficulty  occurs  in  knowing 
when  to  cease  tarring.  The  business  must  be 
attended  to  exactly  in  the  right  time,  whether 
it  rain  or  shine,  and  the  operation  repeated 
considerably  more  than  twenty  times  in  every 
season ;  and  the  average  of  various  estimates  of 
the  annual  expiense  of  tarring  each  tree  amounts 
to  full  ten  cents.  The  method  I  have  proposed, 
says  Mr.  K.,  appears  to  be  perfectly  adapted  to 
the  convenience  of  the  practical  farmer.  He  will 
avoid  the  trouble  and  expense  of  purchasing  and 
applying  tar,  lime,  or  any  other  article;  he  can 
perform  the  operation  when   most  at  leisure,  and 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  91 

with  a  certain  prospect  of  ample  reward  for  his 
labour,  even  if  no  damage  were  apprehended  from 
the  canker  worm  ;  and  if  the  operation  is  perform- 
ed in  June,  he  can  raise  a  crop  of  potatoes  round 
the  trees  the  first  season.  Hence  it  is  obvious, 
that  several  very  important  advantages  will  be  ob- 
tained in  addition  to  the  prime  object ;  and  the 
prudent  farmer,  who  adopts  this  method,  will 
have  in  view  the  most,  if  not  the  whole,  of  the  fol- 
lowing distinct  objects : 

1.  Extermination  of  the  canker  worms. 

2.  Growth  of  the  trees. 

3.  Fruitfulness  of  the  trees. 

4.  Defence  against  the  moles. 

5.  Several  crops  of  potatoes. 

6.  Manufacture  of  compost. 

Mr.  Kenrick  never  having  had  anj  canker  worm* 
on  his  farm,  could  not  personally  prove  the  efficacy 
of  the  method  proposed,  by  actual  experiment.  But 
it  should  be  strongly  recommended  to  the  attention 
of  cultivators  of  orchards,  and  it  is  hoped  the  pub- 
lick  may  be  made  acquainted  with  the  result  of 
every  trial. 

John  Lowell,  esquire,  (Mass.  Agricul.  Repos.) 
observes,  that  "  the  expense  of  tarring  an  orchard 
for  several  years,  together  with  the  injury  sustain- 
ed bv  the  trees  in  the  common  mode  of  doinof  it, 
w^ili  be  nearly  equivalent  to  a  total  loss.  The  im- 
provements, introduced  by  Mr.  Parsons,  and  other 
cultivators,  of  surrounding  the  trees  with  canvasa 
and  rope-yarn,  and  stopping  the  descent  of  the  tar 
by  a  bandage  of  coarse  hemp,  together  with  the 
mixture  of  the  tar  with  oil,  so  as  to  keep  it  longer 
in  a  soft  state,  have  very  much  diminished  the  in- 
convenience of  the  old  practice.  Still  much  re- 
mains to  be  desired.  The  process  is  imperfect,  un- 
less performed  as  faithfully  in  the  fall  as  in  the 
spring.  If  your  neighbours  are  inattentive,  you 
may  be  subjected  to  this  labour  for  ten  or  twenty 


92  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

years,  and  your  orchards  will  scarcely  pay  the  con- 
tinued and  accumulated  expense.  Something  fur- 
ther seems  to  be  desirable  ;  some  mode  more  sim- 
ple, less  expensive,  more  effectual.  In  the  southern 
states,  I  perceive,  some  persons  are  still  ignorant  of 
the  natural  history  of  this  insect,  and  regret  that  it 
has  not  been  examined  and  described  by  scientifick 
men.  We  have  nothing  left  to  be  desired  on  this 
head.  The  description  of  the  canker  worm,  by 
professor  Peck,  is  very  satisfactory,  and  only  leaves 
us  to  regret  that  the  same  ingenuity  could  not  have 
devised  some  speedy,  simple  mode  of  extirpating  or 
checking  them.  Until  some  effectual  mode  is  dis- 
covered, I  think  we  should  make  constant  experi- 
ments, and  communicate  fully  the  results,  in  the 
hope  that  jf  our  trials  shall  not  prove  in  every  case 
successful,  they  may  stimulate  others  to  more  hap- 
py ones. 

"  I  had  understood  that  Mr.  Josiah  Knapp,  of  Bos- 
ton, was  induced  to  try  the  effect  of  air-slacked  lime. 
He  put  it  round  one  of  his  trees  in  the  spring  of 
1814,  and  I  have  been  assured,  not  only  by  him, 
but  by  another  respectable  frierid  who  examined  it, 
that  it  was  fully  successful.  The  tree  was  in  a 
small  garden  in  Boston,  surrounded  with  other  trees, 
which  were  filled  with  the  worms,  and  this  one 
wholly  escaped,  except  that  a  few  appeared  to  have 
attacked  its  extremities,  where  they  were  interlock- 
ed with  the  other  trees.  I  mentioned  this  fact  to 
a  Rhode  Island  gentleman,  who  informed  me  that, 
in  that  state,  they  had  used  the  rubbish  collected 
from  the  breaking  of  flax,  and  it  had  effectually  pre- 
vented the  rise  of  the  insect.  I  resolved  to  make 
the  experiment  of  lime  on  an  extensive  scale.  As 
the  insects  rise  in  the  fall,  I  determined  to  put  the 
lime  on  in  autumn.  For  this  purpose  I  had  the 
turf  dug  in  around  sixty  apple  trees,  and  the  earth 
laid  smooth.  I  then  took  three  hogsheads  of  effete 
or  air-slacked  lime,  and  strewed  it  an  inch  thick 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  93 

round  my  trees,  to  the  extent  oi"  about  two  or  three 
feet  from  the  roots,  so  that  the  whole  diameter  of 
the  opening  was  from  four  to  six  feet.  I  tarred 
these  trees  as  well  as  the  others,  and  although  I 
had  worms  or  grubs  on  most  that  were  not  limed, 
I  did  not  catch  a  single  grub  where  the  trees  were 
limed.  I  do  not  mean  to  speak  with  confidence  ;  I 
am,  however,  strongly  encouraged  to  believe  the 
remedy  perfect.  It  was  ascertained  by  professor 
Peck,  that  the  insect  seldom  descended  into  the 
ground  at  a  greater  distance  than  three  or  four  feet 
from  the  trunk,  and  to  the  depth  of  four  inches,  or 
that  the  greater  part  come  within  that  distance. 
The  lime  is  known  to  be  destructive  to  all  animal 
substances,  and  I  have  little  doubt  that  it  actually 
decomposes  and  destroys  the  insect  in  the  chrysalis 
state;  at  least,  I  hope  this  is  the  case.  There  are 
many  reasons  which  should  encourage  the  repeti- 
tion of  this  experiment.  The  digging  round  the 
trees  is  highly  useful  to  them,  while  tarring  is  very 
injurious.  The  expense  is  not  great ;  a  man  can 
dig  round  fifty  large  trees  in  one  day.  The  lime  is 
a  most  salutary  manure  to  the  trees.  After  the 
spot  has  been  once  opened  and  limed,  the  labour 
of  keeping  it  open  will  not  be  great.  Three 
hogsheads  of  air-slacked  lime,  or  sweepitigs  of  a 
lime  store,  will  suffice  for  fifty  trees,  and  will  cost 
three  dollars.  As  it  is  done  but  once  a  year,  I  think 
it  cannot  be  half  so  expensive  as  tarring.  I  repeat 
it,  sir,  that  I  mention  my  experiment  with  great  dif- 
fidence, as  being  the  first  of  my  own  knowledge. 
It  may  induce  several  persons  to  try  it  in  dilFerent 
places,  and  where  trees  are  surrounded  with  others 
which  are  treated  diiferently.  All  I  pray  is,  that 
it  may  prove  to  be  successful,  and  relieve  us  from 
this  dreadful  scourge,  which  defaces  our  country, 
while  it  impoverishes  and  disappoints  the  farmer. 
If  it  should  succeed,  Mr.  Knapp  will  merit  the 
thanks  of  the  publick  for  his  ingenious  experiment." 


94  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMEKT 

The  foregoing  valuable  communication  from  one 
so  highly  deserving  of  confidence,  it  is  hoped  will 
have  its  proper  influence,  and  encourage  every  pro- 
prietor of  an  orchard  to  make  the  experiment, 
whenever  the  canker  worm  shall  again  menace  us 
with  its  ravages.  The  application  of  lime  appears 
to  be  by  far  the  most  eligible  remedy  that  has 
heretofore  been  proposed.  It  forms,  after  being 
exposed  to  rain,  a  hard  crust  impenetrable  to  moths 
or  worms.  If  it  should  be  generally  adopted,  it  is 
very  probable  that  these  pernicious  insects  will  be 
finally  exterminated.  It  might  be  profitable  to 
make  the  experiment  upon  a  small  scale,  by  con- 
fining some  of  the  moths  or  worms,  in  their  differ- 
ent states,  in  a  box  of  earth,  and  applying  the  lime, 
so  as  to  ascertain  how  far  they  will  be  able  to  pro- 
gress through  it,  and  whether  the  lime  will  have 
the  effect  of  decomposing  them.  It  has  already 
been  intimated,  (page  58,)  that  flax-rubbish  and  sea- 
weed, might  be  laid  round  orchard  trees  so  as  to 
prove  a  remedy  against  these  insects.  Those  sub- 
stances, when  beaten  down  by  rains,  soon  become 
so  firm  and  solid,  as  to  prevent  the  growth  of  grass, 
and  I  should  judge  it  would  be  impossible  for  the 
insects  to  penetrate  through  them. 

It  was  recommended  by  Dr.  Dean,  to  endeavour 
to  effect  the  destruction  of  canker  worms  through 
the  agency  of  swine.  These  animals  appear  to 
possess  a  natural  instinct  directing  to  search  with 
their  snouts  for  vermin  and  insects,  which  conceal 
themselves  in  the  earth.  They  should,  when  cir- 
cumstances permit,  be  suffered  to  run  unrestrained, 
in  orchards,  during  autumn  and  spring,  for  that  pur- 
pose. I  am  authorized  to  say,  that  in  several  in- 
stances in  this  vicinity,  the  experiment  has  been 
made,  and  proved  in  a  great  degree  effectual.  A 
general  resort  to  tlus  expedient,  might  have  a  hap- 
py tendency  in  preventing  the  annoyance  of  these, 
and  other  insects,  in  our  orchards. 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  95 

It  is  wjbH  known,  that  several  species  of  birds 
feed  voraciously  upon  the  canker  worm,  and  other 
tribes  of  insects ;  it  would  be  advantageous,  there- 
fore, to  encourage  the  increase  of  the  feathered 
tribe,  by  all  the  means  in  our  power. 

CATERPILLARS. 

These  vermin  are  so  truly  disgusting  in  their  na- 
4ure  and  appearance,  and  so  injurious  by  their  de- 
vastations, that  every  farmer  should  consider  it  dis- 
graceful, to  suffer  his  orchard  to  be  infested  by 
them;  yet  it  is  not  uncommon  to  see  numerous 
branches  of  valuable  fruit  trees  entwined  with  nests, 
filled  with  these  industrious  reptiles,  by  which  the 
foliage  and  fruit  are  destroyed.  During  an  excur- 
sion this  season,  I  have  witnessed  the  disgustful  sight 
of  more  than  twenty  large  caterpillars'  nests  on  a 
single  tree,  and  almost  every  green  leaf  devoured. 
It  would  consist  more  with  the  interest  and  credit 
of  the  proprietor,  were  such  neglected  trees  no 
longer  permitted   to  encumber  the  ground. 

The  eggs  from  which  caterpillars  are  nroduced, 
are  attached  in  clusters  to  the  small  twigs  by  a 
brownish  coloured  miller,  in  the  month  of  August,  and 
are  securely  covered  with  a  gummy  substance,  unsus- 
ceptible of  injury  by  the  v/eather  during  winter.  The 
young  brood  is  hatched  b}^  the  warmth  of  the  sun, 
just  in  time  to  prey  upon  the  fresh  leaves  as  they 
appear  in  the  spring.  The  numerous  family  from 
each  cluster  of  eggs,  immediately  unite  in  the  labour 
of  constructing  a  nest  of  strong  web,  which  aiFords 
them  a  shelter  from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather, 
and  a  secure  retreat  from  the  dews  at  night.  They 
continue  to  feed  upon  the  leaves  until  about  the 
last  of  June,  when  they  abandon  their  habitation, 
and  stroll  to  some  dry,  secure  place,  where  thej 
envelop  themselves  in  a  close  covering  of  an  egg- 
shaped,  roundish  ball,  very  similar  to  the  cocoon  of 


96  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

the  silk  worm.  In  this  chrysalis  state,  they  con- 
tinue a  few  weeks,  and  in  the  month  of  August  they 
burst  forth  in  the  form  of  a  brownish  coloured  mil- 
ler, the  female  of  which  soon  wings  her  way  to  the 
apple  trees,  and  deposits  her  eggs  on  the  twigs,  in 
the  same  manner  as  her  progenitor,  in  the  preceding 
year.  Thus  is  an  annual  progeny  generated,  and  in 
this  manner  is  the  species  perpetuated.  It  will 
therefore  appear  evident,  that  if  proper  care  be 
taken  to  destroy  these  vermin  annually,  and  if  all 
proprietors  of  orchards  will  act  in  concert  with  this 
view,- the  species  may  be  entirely  annihilated.  The 
clusters  of  eggs  which  contain  the  young  brood, 
very  nearly  resemble  in  colour  the  bark  of  the  tree, 
but  by  a  vigilant  search  they  may  be  detected,  and 
at  any  leisure  time  after  the  month  of  August,  the 
twigs  to  which  they  are  attached,  should  be  cut  off, 
and  burnt,  or  the  eggs  otherwise  destroyed.  But 
when  this  is  omitted,  and  the  caterpillars  are  hatch- 
ed, and  have  constructed  tlieir  nests,  and  are  ram- 
bling among  the  branches  for  food,  a  different  me- 
thod must  be  adopted.  The  trees  during  the  spring 
and  first  part  of  summer  should  be  carefully  search- 
ed every  two  or  three  days,  in  the  morning  or  even- 
ing, while  the  insects  are  enclosed  in  their  tents, 
when  they  are  easily  crushed  with  the  fingers,  or 
«ome  instrument,  or  the  branch  may  be  cut  off  and 
destroyed.  It  is  asserted  that  spirit  of  turpentine, 
or  common  fish  oil,  applied  to  the  nest  will  pene- 
trate through,  and  kill  every  caterpillar  within  it ; 
and  it  is  also  said,  that  soap  suds  will  answer  the 
£ame  purpose.  Mr.  Yates,  of  Albany,  says,  he  baa 
formerly,  and  for  several  successive  years,  early  in 
the  morning  while  the  caterpillars  were  confined 
to  their  nest  or  web,  taken  them  off  and  destroyed 
ihem.  By  a  repetition  of  this  practice  two  or  three 
times  a  week,  for  two  or  three  weeks  successively, 
they  were  totally  destroyed  ;  but  of  late  he  has  dis- 
covered a  more  easy  and  expeditious  method,  and 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  97 

which  efiectually  answers  the  purpose.  Take  a 
handful  of  wormwood,  one  of  rue,  and  two  of  Virginia 
tobacco  ;  (a  sufficient  quantity  of  tobacco  alone  will 
do,  but  not  so  well ;)  boil  these  together  in  about  two 
pails  full  of  rain  water,  for  nearly  half  an  hour ; 
strain  it  through  a  cloth,  and  with  this  hquor  sprin- 
kle the  trees.  He  performs  this  with  a  barrow  en- 
gine ;  but  the  operation  should  be  performed  when 
the  caterpillars  or  worms  have  left  their  nocturnal 
nest  or  web,  and  are  dispersed  on  the  trees.  Re- 
peat the  operation  two  or  three  times;  they  will 
drop  down  and  expire. 

An  eligible  method  of  exterminating  the  cater- 
pillar, will  be  found  in  the  following  communication, 
from  the  honourable  Mr.  Pickerins",  to  the  corres- 
pondmg  secretary  of  the  Massachusetts  agricultural 
society.    (Vol.  iv.  p.  326.  Agricul.  Repos.) 

Description  of  a  Brush  for  destroying  Caterpillar's  Nests. 

Wenham,  May  26,  1817. 
Dear  sir, — For  the  last  three  or  four  years  we 
have  had  very  few  caterpillars.  Last  week  I  ob- 
served an  increased  number,  though  not  many,  on 
my  young  apple  trees.  How  to  destroy  them  most 
easily,  was  a  question  which  had  occurred  as  often 
as  I  had  seen  orchards  infested  with  them  :  while 
I  always  considered  it  disgraceful  to  a  farmer  to 
suffer  his  trees  to  be  stripped  of  their  leaves,  and 
their  fruit,  for  that  season  at  least,  to  be  destroyed; 
seeing  it  was  very  practicable  to  get  rid  of  them, 
and  without  much  trouble,  by  crushing  them,  when 
small,  with  the  fingers.  This  was  my  father's 
mode  when  I  was  a  boy.  The  same  long,  light 
ladders,  which  served  in  autumn  in  gathering 
his  winter  fruit  by  hand,  enabled  one  to  come  at 
most  of  the  caterpillars'  nests  in  the  spring.  On  this 
effectual  example  I  have  myself  practised,  since  I 
became   a  farmer.      Some    over  delicate  persons 


98  GLLTURC    AND    RIAN'AGEIME.NT 

might  object  to  this  mode;  but  it  is  really  far  less 
offensive  than  the  bare  sight  ol' large  and  numerous 
nests  with  which  apple  trees  are  sometimes  filled. 
And  if  the  operation  be  performed  early,  when  the 
caterpillars  are  only  from  a  quarter  to  half  an  inch 
long,  the  operator  (man  or  boy)  will  feel  no  repug- 
nance to  the  process.  But  in  full  grown  trees,  some 
nests,  towards  the  extremities  of  their  small  limbs, 
would  escane,  because  not  accessible  by  ladder?. 
A  narrow  brush,  formed  with  small  bunches  of  bris- 
tles, in  a  single  row,  I  once  thought  would  reach 
and  destroy  them;  but  it  was  not  found  effectual 
nor  convenient.  Last  Saturday  morning  the  idea  of 
the  proper  kind  of  brush  occurred  to  me,  and  in 
the  forenoon  I  tried  it  with  complete  success. 

I  presume  every  farmer  has  observed,  that  the 
clusters  of  eggs,    producing  caterpillars,    are   laid 
round  the  slender  twigs  of  the  apple  tree  and  wild 
cherry,  and  effectually  guarded  by  a  gummy  cover- 
ing,   until    vegetation    commences    in    the   ensuing 
spring.     When   first   hatched,   the    worms  appear 
about   the    eighth   of  an   inch  long.       The    same 
warmth  in  the  air,   which  opens  the  buds,  hatches 
the  caterpillars   to    feed    on    the    embryo    leaves. 
Their   first  object  is   to   provide  for  themselves  a 
tent  for  shelter,  in  their  new  state,   against   the  in- 
clemencies of  the  weather.     For  this  purpose,  they 
crawl  to  a  small  fork  of  a  limb,  where  the  branches 
form  a  sharp  angle,  and  there  spin    and    weave    a 
web,  with  which  they  surround  it,  and  where  thej 
are  secure  against  undue  cold,  and   heat,   and  rain. 
By  this  small  white  web  they  are  discovered,   and 
are  then  most  easily  destroyed.       But   the  clusters 
of  eggs  are  not  all  hatched  at  the  same  time.     Ac- 
cording to  their  situation  for   warmth   or  coolness, 
they  are  hatched  some  days  earlier  or  later.       At 
a  distance,  therefore,  of  a  v/eek  or  ten  days   after 
the  first  visit,  an  orchard  should  be  again  inspected, 
and  all  the  latter  broods  destroyed.       If  neglected 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  99 

in  this  first  state,  they  soon,  by  their  growth,  be- 
come straitened  for  room ;  and,  having  also  con- 
sumed the  nearest  forage,  tliey  march  and  take  a 
new  station,  and  there  form  a  new,  but  more  am- 
ple tent.  By  such  neglect  the  mischief  of  their 
ravages  is  increased,  and  they  are  with  more  difH- 
culty  destroyed. 

The  efficient  and  convenient  instrument  above 
mentioned,  for  this  work,  is  nothing  more  than  a 
common  bottle  brush  fastened  on  the  end  of  a  pole. 
Having  an  old  one  in  my  house,  I  was  enabled  to 
make  the  experiment  on  the  day  when  the  idea  of 
so  applying  it  occurred  to  me.  This  brush  is  made 
of  hog's  bristles,  introduced  between  two  stiff  wires 
closely  tvi^isted,  and,  being  convenient  in  cleansing 
the  insides  of  bottles,  is  probably  familiarly  known 
wherever  liquors  are  bottled.  For  the  information 
of  others,  I  will  mention,  that  a  piece  of  wire,  full 
one  tenth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  about  three  feet 
long,  doubled,  and  leaving  a  small  loop  in  the  mid- 
dle, is  closely  twisted  for  the  length  of  about  eight 
or  ten  inches  from  the  loop  j  and  then  the  bristles, 
being  introduced  between  the  remainder  of  the 
two  branches  of  the  wire,  and  these  closely  twisted 
upon  them,  the  bristles  are  immoveably  fixed,  and 
thus  form  (after  being  uniformly  sheared,)  a  cylin- 
drical brush,  about  six  inches  long,  and  two  inches 
and  a  half  in  diameter.  To  fasten  this  conveniently 
to  a  pole,  with  a  small  gouge,  I  made  a  groove  about 
seven  or  eight  inches  long  at  the  small  end  of  the 
pole,  in  which  nearly  all  the  handle  (the  naked  por- 
tion of  the  twisted  wire)  of  the  brush  was  laid,  and 
bound  on  with  three  strings. 

In  using  the  brush,  press  it  on  the  small  nest,  and 
turning  the  pole  in  the  hand,  the  web  is  entangled 
with  the  bristles  and  removed ;  otherwise  you  rub 
the  fork  of  the  limb,  inside  and  outside,  with  the 
brush,  when  nest  and  worms  are  surely  killed  or 
brought  down.      That  the  experimenter  may  see 


100  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

its  mode  of  operation,  lie  may  apply  the  brush  with 
his  hand  to  a  nest  within  his  reach.  Spruce  poles 
are  eligible,  because  that  wood  is  light  and  stiff. 
For  my  small  trees,  I  found  a  common  bean  pole 
(used  for  running  beans  to  climb  on,)  six  or  seven 
feet  long,  sufficient ;  and  for  them  a  larger  pole 
would  be  inconvenient.  For  taller  trees,  poles  pro- 
portionably  long  must  be  provided. 

If  you  are  satisfied,  by  my  account,  of  the  utility 
of  this  simple  instrument  for  destroying  caterpillars, 
you  may  think  it  proper  immediately  to  make  it 
publickly  known.  Should  the  description  be  more 
minute  than  is  requisite  for  communicating  a  clear 
idea  of  it,  and  of  its  application,  you  will  abridge  it. 

With  respect  and  esteem,  &;c. 

Timothy  Pickering. 


THE  WORM  CALLED  THE  BORER. 

Ah  interesting  paper  by  W.  Denning,  Esq.  on  the 
subject  of  the  alarming  decay  of  apple  trees,  is  in- 
serted in  the  first  volume  of  the  transactions  of  the 
New  York  agricultural  society ;  from  which  it  ap- 
pears, that  on  cutting  down  some  apple  trees,  which 
were  far  decayed,  he  discovered  two  worm  holes 
running  perpendicularly,  from  the  tap  root,  through 
the  heart.  These  holes  were  large  enough  to  ad- 
mit a  pipe  stem,  and  reached  about  fourteen  inches 
above  the  surface  ;  and  from  each  hole  a  worm 
was  taken.  In  some  trees  eight  or  ten  holes  were 
found.  Mr.  Denning  proposes  no  remedy ;  but 
Dr.  Mease,  editor  of  the  domestick  encyclopedia, 
observes,  that  the  worm  must  be  searched  for  with 
a  wire,  and  bored  out.  The  publick  are  particu- 
larly indebted  to  J.  Prince,  Esq.  and  to  Mr.  E.  Her- 
sey,  of  Roxbury,  for  their  mode  of  destroying  this 
pernicious  insect. 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  101 

From  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Repository,  volume  ir. 
On  a  worm  which  attacks  the  apple  tree.  By  John  Prince, 
Esq. 

Jamaica  Plains,  July,  1819. 

Dear  sir, — I  have,  within  a  few  years  past,  lost 
a  number  of  apple  trees  of  from  ten  to  fifteen  years 
old,  and  Avas  not  able  to  account  for  it.  My  young 
trees  also,  that  were  beginning  to  bear,  produced 
chiefly  wormy  and  knurly  fruit.  The  last  year  I 
found  what  I  supposed  to  be  the  cause,  which  was 
a  small,  white,  ringed  Avorm,  about  three  quarters 
of  an  inch  long,  Avith  a  dark  coloured  head,  (I  be- 
lieve the  same  that  attacks  the  peach  tree,)  attack- 
ing them  at  and  just  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground.  I  mentioned  the  subject  to  professor 
Peck,  yourself,  and  several  other  gentlemen,  who 
had  never  heard  of  this  destroyer  of  the  apple  tree. 
I  feared  much  the  loss  of  all  my  trees,  of  which  I 
have  near  one  thousand,  and  mostly  of  my  own 
planting.  This  spring,  a  man,  who  Tvas  grafting  for 
me  some  old  trees,  told  me  he  had  trees  that  had 
been  affected  in  the  same  way,  and  that  they  were 
very  easily  got  rid  of,  by  digging  round  the  trees,  and 
clearing  away  the  earth  to  the  roots,  and  then,  with 
a  sharp  pointed  knife,  a  chisel,  or  gouge,  (and  a 
small  wire  to  probe,  if  they  were  deep  in  the  tree,) 
they  were  easily  destroyed.  I  employed  him  in 
June  for  this  purpose.  I  believe  there  was  not 
an  apple  tree  on  my  farm  but  had  some  worms  ; 
and  from  some  of  them  twenty-four  were  taken; 
and  the  trees  almost  entirely  girdled,  and  would 
not,  probably,  have  lived  through  the  year.  After 
taking  out  all  that  could  be  found,  the  wounds  Avere 
covered  over  with  grafting  clay,  and  a  large  pro- 
portion of  dry  Avood  ashes,  mixed,  and  the  earth 
then  returned  to  the  tree.  I  shall  have  them  again 
examined  this  fall,  and  looked  at  every  sprino-. 
The  trouble  is  much  less  than  would  be  imagined, 
till  tried.      One  capable  man   will  dig  round  and 


102  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

turn  the  sods,  two  or  three  feet  from  the  tree,  (and 
which  is  also  extremely  beneficial  to  young  trees 
in  grass  ground,)  and  examine  at  least  thirty  trees 
in  one  day  ;  and  in  garden,  or  ploughed  ground,  one 
hundred. 

When  iit  is  found  how  little  expense  is  required 
to  extract  these  destructive  little  worms,  I  do  hope 
those  persons  who  have  young  trees  particularly, 
would  examine  them  as  soon  as  possible.  They  are 
soon  discovered  by  the  worm  casts,  or  saw-dust 
borings,  which  should  be  followed,  and  wholly  ex- 
tracted. 

I  have  also  lost  several  mountain  ash  and  quince 
trees  by,  I  believe,  the  same  destroyer. 

Report  of  a  coramitlee  to  nliom  was  referred  the  application  of 
Mr.  E.  Ilersey. 

The  committee  appointed  by  the  trustees  of  the 
Massachusetts  agricultural  society,  to  inquire  into 
the  facts  relative  to  the  destruction  of  the  worm 
called  the  borer,  which  has  of  late  years  been  so  in- 
jurious to  the  apple  trees  in  tlris  neighbourhood  ;  and 
to  ascertain  whether  any  thing  be  due  to  the  exer- 
tions and  adroitness  of  Mr.  Ebenezer  Hersey,  of 
Roxbury,  housewright,  and  generally  known  as  a 
succcssiul  grafter,  in  destroying  this  troublesome  and 
voracious  insect,  beg  leave  to  report: — That  they 
iind,  although  it  be  uncertain  whether  Mr.  Hersey 
was  the  first  person  who  discovered  the  easy  mode 
now  practised  by  him,  in  taking  the  insect  from  the 
body  of  the  tree,  yet  they  are  satisfied  that  the 
great  advantage  which  the  publick  are  like  to  de- 
j'ivo  from  the  extirpation  of  this  worm,  is  principal- 
ly owing  to  the  exertions  and  cleverness  of  Mr. 
ilcrsey  in  this  branch  of  his  profession;  and  they 
r«  commend  that  a  premium  be  awarded  him  of 
tvvonty-five  dollars. 

Your  committee  feel  it  incumbent  on  them  to 
state,  for  your  information,  that  Mr.  Hersey  has  ex- 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  103 

tirpated  the  insect  in  at  least  a  thousand  apple  trees 
on  one  farm  in  Roxbiiry;  that  he  has  probably  sav- 
ed qaany  thousands  in  other  parts  ot"  that  town,  and 
its  neighbourhood,  either  by  his  personal  attendance 
and  labour,  or  by  the  information  which  he  has  giv^- 
en  to  others  on  the  subject;  that  he  has  restored 
to  vigour  and  soundness  many  valuable  peach  trees 
that  were  gummy,  and  rapidly  dechning,  from  the 
effects  produced  by  this,  or  a  similar  worm ;  that 
he  has  traced  them  to  the  mountain  ash,  and  saved 
many  of  those  beautiful  trees  from  perishing :  and 
your  committee  have  no  doubt,  if,  from  his  example, 
the  farmers  of  this  commonwealth  will  examine 
their  orchards,  and  cut  out  those  insects  from  their 
trees,  wherever  found,  they  will,  in  a  short  time, 
feel  the  benefit  of  their  attention  to  the  increased 
and  improved  quality  of  their  fruit. 

Your  committee  feel  it  their  duty  also  to  add, 
that  from  their  own  experience,  they  feel  assured, 
that  all  those  who  can  command  the  services  of 
Mr.  Hersey,  will  find  it  more  economical  to  employ 
him  to  perform  this  work,  than  to  undertake  it 
themselves  ;  as  his  experience  and  original  profes- 
sion of  housewright,  acquainted  v.'ith  the  use  of 
tools,  enables  him  to  do  it  not  only  more  thorough- 
ly, but  very  much  quicker  than  any  one  can  who 
has  not  been  in  tlie  practice  of  the  art. 

The  seasons  when  this  operation  is  performed 
with  most  effect,  are  the  spring  and  fall ;  and 
if  in  the  spring,  before  the  month  of  June,  as  the 
perfect  insects  escape  before  that  time.  In  apple 
and  mountain  ash  tiees,  the  existence  of  the  animal 
in  the  tree  may  generally  be  knov/n,  by  the  mossy 
appearance  on  the  bark  ;  and  it  may  be  traced  by 
removing  a  little  earth  from  the  body  of  the  tree, 
next  above  the  insertion  of  the  great  roots.  Al- 
though the  hole  at  which  the  insect  enters,  is,  in 
many  instances,  very  small,  yet  it  is  easily  discover- 
ed bj  an  appearance  of  powdered, wood,  or  fine 


104  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

saw  dust,  which  is  thrown  out  by  the  worm ; — here 
you  may  introduce  your  chisel,  and  follow  his  track. 
Cut  the  bark  smooth,  and  when  you  have  cleansed 
the  tree  of  all  the  insects,  (of  which  there  are  some- 
times as  many  as  twenty  to  be  found,)  plaster  the 
wounds  over  with  a  little  clay,  and  when  it  is  dry, 
restore  the  earth  to  its  place.  The  operation  should 
be  renewed  the  succeeding  season,  to  make  the 
work  complete.  In  peach  trees  the  insect  is  traced 
by  the  gum  ;  but  as  this  is  also  produced  by  bruises, 
it  is  not  infallible. 

Samuel  G.  Perkiws,  )  ^ 

T         r»  /  Committee. 

John  Jtrince,  ^ 

Note. — If  the  frost  be  out  of  the  ground,  we  re- 
commend to  farmers  to  perform  the  spring  cleans- 
ing as  early  as  March  and  April. 

Boston,  April  16. 

Having  so  happily  discovered  a  method  of  de- 
stroying this  pernicious  reptile,  it  still  remains  ex- 
tremely desirable  to  devise  some  means  by  which 
its  successful  attack  upon  the  tree  may  be  prevent- 
ed. We  are  unacquainted  with  the  natural  history 
of  this  worm,  but  it  is  highly  probable  that  is  the 
progeny  of  the  fly  which  deposits  its  eggs  in  the 
bark  of  the  peach  ti;^e.  Whether  this  be  the  fact, 
or  whether  it  derive  its  existence  from  some  source 
in  the  earth,  it  is  reasonable,  from  its  habit,  to  sup- 
pose that  the  soil  or  mould  is  congenial  to  its  nature, 
and  that  native  instinct  directs  it  to  enter  the  tree, 
for  its  future  residence  and  support.  The  most  ob- 
vious mode  of  prevention,  therefore,  which  reflec- 
tion has  suggested,  is  the  following.  Early  in  the 
spring,  let  the  soil  from  around  the  trunk  of  the 
tree  be  removed,  down  to  the  roots,  and  fill  up  the 
vacant  place  with  some  substance  that  would  prove 
obnoxious  to  the  fly  or  worm,  or  that  would  infalli- 
bly resist  its  powers  to  penetrate  the  bark.  Among 
the  substances  which  appear  most  hkely  to  prove 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  105 

successful,  I  will  mention  the  flax  rubbish  and  sea- 
weed, page  58  of  this  volume.  Tlie  next  which 
oc«;ur,  are  ashes,  lime,  sea-shells,  sea-sand,  mortar- 
rubbish  Irom  old  buildings,  claj,  tanner's  bark,  frag- 
ments of  leather  from  the  tanner's  and  shoemaker's 
shops,  &c.  Some,  or  perhaps  any  of  the  above  men- 
tioned substances,  if  pressed  closely  round  the  trunk 
of  the  tree,  must  inevitably  prevent  the  fly  or  worm 
from  having  access  to  the  bark,  and  of  course  prove 
an  elfectual  remedy.  Should  it  be  the  case,  that 
the  worm  advances  from  some  distant  part  in  search 
of  the  tree,  it  is  possible,  on  meeting  foreign  sub- 
stances, to  which  it  has  not  been  habituated,  its  in- 
stinctive faculties  may  be  baffled,  or  it  may  die  be- 
fore it  can  effect  its  object.  Besides  the  expedient 
just  described,  another  remains  to  be  mentioned ; 
it  is  the  application  of  the  clay  paint,  page  74,  or 
the  following  composition,  which  is  preferable. 
Take  equal  parts  of  quick  lime,  cow  dung  and  clay, 
which  by  the  addition  of  soap  suds  and  urine,  should 
be  reduced  to  the  consistence  of  common  paint.  To 
make  it  more  adhesive,  add  a  little  hair.  Let  the 
whole  stem,  from  the  roots  to  the  branches,  be  en* 
veloped  with  a  coating  of  this  composition,  and  oc- 
casionally repeated,  and  it  will  scarcely  be  possible 
for  the  fly  or  worm,  or  insects,  to  injure  the  trunk 
of  the  tree ;  and  it  will  at  the  same  time  prove  con- 
ducive to  its  health  and  vigour.  It  oiight  even  be 
recommended  to  make  this  application  to  all  young 
trees,  at  the  time  of  transplanting,  especially  in 
places  where  the  worm  is  known  to  prevail. 

It  appears  that  this  destructive  worm  is  rapidly 
extending  its  ravages  among  our  orchard  trees.  In 
attending  to  the  examination  of  my  own  trees  since 
writing  the  above,  (September  4th,)  I  was  astou" 
ished  to  find  that  more  than  half  of  them  were  suf- 
fering injury  by  the  borer,  in  considerable  numbers, 
fifteen  being  taken  out  of  a  single  tree  ;  I  was  struck 
with  the  remark  of  t!ic  workman,  that  those  trees 
14 


1X)6  CULTURE  Ai\D  MANAGEMENT 

which  were  surrounded  by  a  cluster  of  root  suckers, 
were  in  jDarticular  the  greatest  sufferers;  and  when 
a  tree  had  suckers  on  one  side  only,  the  worms  were 
found  on  that  side  of  the  tree.  It  is  not  improbable 
that  the  suckers  and  leaves  facilitate  the  operation  of 
depositing  the  eggs  by  affording  a  convenient  shel- 
ter for  the  fly  or  moth;  but  we  are  destitute  of  the 
natural  history  of  tliis  insect.  The  suckers  and 
worms  all  being  removed,  I  directed  the  wounds 
made  in  the  trees,  and  also  the  whole  trunk  near 
the  surface  of  the  earth,  to  be  covered  with  a  mix- 
ture of  clay  and  cow  dung,  with  a  little  hair  to  ren- 
der it  more  adhesive  ;  and  afterwards  a  circuit  of 
about  three  feet  round  each  tree,  to  be  covered 
with  tanner's  bark,  or  refuse  leather. 

SLUG  WORM,  OR  NAKED  SNAIL. 

It  is  from  the  accurate  observation  of  professor 
Peck,  that  we  are  enabled  to  present  the  reader 
with  the  history  of  the  slug  worm,  by  which,  of 
late  years,  our  fruit  trees  have  been  infested.  These 
reptiles  make  their  appearance  upon  the  leaves  of 
fruit  trees,  in  the  month  of  July,  and  our  ingenious 
professor  has  discovered,  that  they  are  the  proge- 
ny of  a  small  black  fly,  which  deposits  its  eggs  in 
the  leaf  in  the  months  of  May  and  June,  and  in 
fourteen  days  after  the  deposit,  the  perfect  slug  is 
found  adhering  and  feeding  on  the  leaves.  It  is  of 
an  olive  colour,  with  a  slimv  coat,  and  in  the  course 
of  twenty  days,  it  throws  off  four  skms,  at  nearly 
equal  periods;  it  remains  in  the  fifth,  or  last  vis- 
cous skm, six  days,  and  acquires  its  full  growth;  it 
then  quits  this  fifth  skin,  which  is  left  adhering  to 
the  leaf,  and  appears  in  a  clean  yellow  one,  entirely 
free  from  vicidity,  and  has  so  diii'ercnt  an  aspect 
that  it  would  not  be  supposed  to  be  the  same  larvaj. 
After  restingsome  hours,  it  proceeds  slowly  down  the 
tree  to  the  earth,  into  which  it  enters  to  the  depth 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  107 

X)(  from  one  to  four  inches ;  and  in  about  eighteen 
days  they  again  ascend  from  the  earth,  in  the  form 
of  flies,  and  these  again  deposit  their  eggs  in  the 
leaf;  so  that  thoy  produce  two  hatchings  in  a  year. 

It  is  happy  for  the  fruit  planter,  that  a  simple 
method  is  discovered,  by  which  these  destructive  in- 
sects may  be  eifectually  destroyed.  This  is  done 
by  means  of  lime  sprinkled  over  the  leaves  in  the 
form  of  powder.  For  this  purpose,  a  wooden  box, 
of  convenient  size,  having  its  bottom  perforated 
with  numerous  small  holes,  is  to  be  filled  with 
lime.  This  being  mounted  on  a  pole,  by  shaking 
over  the  tree,  distributes  the  lime  among  the  leaves, 
and  the  slugs  are  immediately  destroyed.  The  la- 
bour is  very  trivial ;  a  man  may  cover  a  large  tree 
m  three  or  four  minutes  ;  and  the  desired  etfect  is 
certain.  Fine  earth  shaken  through  a  basket  or 
perforated  box,  will  answer  equally  well. 

Another  remedy,  it  is  said,  will  prove  equally  ef- 
fectual. It  is  a  strong  infusion  of  tar,  made  by  pour- 
ing water  on  tar,  and  suffering  it  to  stand  two  or 
three  days,  when  it  becomes  strongly  impregnated. 
This,  if  sprinkled  over  the  leaves  by  means  of  an 
engine,  will  kill  these  vermin  instantaneously.  Tan- 
ners bark  put  round  fruit  trees,  will  destroy  the 
slug  worm. 

The  following  letter  from  E.  Perley,  esquire,  is 
extracted  from  the  Massachusetts  Agricultural  Re- 
pository, vol.  3,  page  144. 


LICE,  INFESTING  YOUNG  ORCHARDS,  IN  THE  DISTRICT  OF 
MAINE-MODE  OF  DESTROYING  THEM. 

"  This  insect,  called  lice,  is  in  form  like  lialf  a 
kernel  of  rye,  (but  not  more  than  one  twentieth 
part  so  large,)  with  the  flat  side  sticking  to  the 
smooth  bark  of  the  tree.  They  resemble  blisters  ; 
and  are  near  the  colour  of  the  bark  of  the  tree. 
These  blisters  contain  from  ten  to   thirty  nits  or 


108  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

eggs  each,  in  forin  like  a  snake's  egg;  which,  in  a 
common  season,  begin  to  hatch  about  the  25th  of 
May,  and  finish  about  the  10th  of  June.  These 
nits  produce  a  white  animalcule,  resembling  a  louse, 
so  small  they  are  hardly  perceptible  by  the  naked 
eye ;  which,  immediately  after  they  are  hatched, 
open  the  passage  at  the  end  of  the  blister,  and 
crawl  out  on  the  bark  of  the  tree ;  and  there  re- 
main, with  but  little  motion  about  ten  days ;  when 
they  stick  themselves  fast  to  the  bark  of  the  tree, 
and  die.  From  this  little  carcass  arises  a  small 
speck  of  blue  mould,  which  is  most  plain  to  be  seen 
between  the  10th  and  20th  of  June,  and  continues 
about  fifteen  days;  and  then  gradually  wears  off, 
until  the  old  carcass  appears,  which,  by  this  time 
is  formed  into  a  new  blister,  and  contains  the 
spawns  or  nits  before  mentioned. 

"  These  blisters  prevent  the  circulation  of  sap, 
and  prove  as  fatal  to  the  tree  as  the  canker  worm. 

"  In  order  to  remedy  the  difficulty,  I  have  made 
many  experiments  witliin  a  few  years ;  but  long  to 
no  good  effect,  not  knowing  then  the  particular 
season  when  these  animalcules  could  be  most  easily 
destroyed.  This,  however,  I  have  lately  found  to 
be  between  the  tmae  they  hatch,  and  that  Avhen 
the  mould  leaves  them.*  The  application  that  I 
have  found  most  effectual  is,  washing  the  trees 
with  lye  or  brine.  Lime,  also,  mixed  with  lye,  to 
the  consistence  of  white  wash,  may  be  useful. 
And  although  the  small  branches  cannot  be  cleans- 
ed in  this  manner  without  much  difficulty,  still,  if 
the  body  of  the  tree,  and  the  branches  near  the 
body  are  kept  clean  until  there  comes  a  rough 
bark,  I  think  the  lice  will  not  kill  the  tree. 

"  Some  people  have  recommended  the  applica- 
tion of   train  oil   to  the   tree,   which,  indeed,   is  a 

*  "  It  appears  from  this  account,  by  Mr.  Perley,  that  these 
appearances  can,  in  general,  only  occur  between  May  25,  swd 
.]uly5." 


OF  FRUIT  TREEK.  109 

powerful  antidote  against  lice,  but  being  of  a  glu- 
tinous quality,  is  very  detrimental  to  the  tree. 
Inoculation  has  been  proposed ;  which,  I  think, 
will  have  no  effect  at  all  on  the  lice  ;  for  I  perceive 
they  hatch  in  May,  on  branches  that  were  pruned 
otF  the  tree  in  March,  and  the  sap  entirely  extin- 
guished. 

"  These  lice  are  natural  in  the  uncultivated 
forest,  on  what  is  called  moose-wood,  and  other 
bushes. 

"  Much  care  should  be  taken  on  their  first  ap- 
pearing in  an  orchard  or  nursery ;  as  the  cutting 
down  and  destroying  a  few  young  trees  is  of  no  im- 
portance, compared  with  the  difficulty  of  having  an 
orchard  overrun  with  them. 

"  P.  S.  The  brine  or  pickle,  with  Avhicli  the 
tree  is  to  be  washed,  should  not  be  such  as  has 
had  meat  salted  in  it ;  but  let  one  quart  of  com- 
mon salt  be  dissolved  in  two  gallons  of  clean 
water." 

As  a  remedy  against  these  lice,  the  clay  paint, 
mentioned,  page  74,  may  be  recommended.  If 
this  were  properly  applied  to  the  trunk  and 
branches  of  the  tree  after  the  eggs  arc  hatched,  it 
would  so  completely  envelop  the  insects  as  proba- 
bly to  counteract  their  mischievous  effects. 

CURCULIO. 

The  following  is  extracted  from  the  Domestick 
Encyclopedia,  edited  by  Dr.  Mease. 

"  The  editor  is  indebted  to  his  excellent  friend. 
Dr.  James  Tilton,  of  Wilmington,  Delaware,  for 
the  followins:  oriorinal  and  very  valuable  communi- 
cation,  on  the  subject  of  the  insect,  which  has  been 
so  actively  engaged  in  destroying  the  fruit  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Delaware,  (and,  probably,  of  the  other 
states,)  for  a  few  years  past.  It  were  to  be  wished, 
that    other  gentlemen  among  u?,  who  have  oppor- 


no  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

tunities,  would  be  equally  attentive  with  Dr.  Tit- 
ton,  in  communicating  their  observations  upon  this 
subject  ol"  rural  economy. 

"Curculio,  a  genus  of  insects  belonging  to  the 
coleoptera,  or  beetle  order.  The  species  are  said  to 
be  very  numerous.  The  immense  damage  done, 
by  an  insect  of  this  tribe,  to  the  fruits  of  this  coun- 
try, of  which  there  is  no  similar  account  in  Europe, 
has  given  rise  to  a  conjecture,  with  some  natu- 
ralists, that  we  have  a  peculiar  and  very  destruc- 
tive species  in  America. 

"  The  manner  in  which  this  insect  injures  and 
destroys  our  fruits,  is  by  its  mode  of  propagation. 
Early  in  the  spring,  about  the  time  when  our  fruit 
trees  are  in  blossom,  the  curculiones  ascend  in 
swarms  from  the  earth,  crawl  up  the  trees,  and  as 
the  several  fruits  advance,  they  puncture  the  rind 
or  skin  vv'ith  their  pointed  rostra,  and  deposit  their 
embryos  in  the  wounds  thus  inflicted.  The  mag- 
got, thus  buried  in  the  fruit,  preys  upon  its  pulp 
anx^l  juices  until,  in  most  instances,  the  fruit  perish- 
es, falls  to  the  ground,  and  the  insect,  escaping 
from  so  unsafe  a  residence,  makes  a  sure  retreat 
into  the  earth;  where,  like  other  beetles,  it  remains 
m  the  form  of  a  grub  or  worm  during  the  winter, 
ready  to  be  metamorphosed  into  a  bug  or  beetle, 
as  the  spring  advances.  Thus  every  tree  furnishes 
its  own  enemy;  for  although  these  bugs  have  ma- 
nifestly the  capacity  of  flying,  they  appear  very 
reluctant  in  the  use  of  their  wings  ;  and  perhap 
never  employ  them,  but  when  necessity  compels 
them  to  migrate.  It  is  a  fact,  that  two  trees  of 
the  same  kind  may  stand  in  the  nearest  possible 
neighbourhood,  not  to  touch  each  other,  the  one 
have  its  fruit  destroyed  by  the  curculio,  and  the 
Other  be  uninjured,  merely  from  contingent  cir- 
cumstances, which  prevent  the  insects  from  crawl- 
ing up  the  one,  while  they  are  uninterrupted  from 
climbing  tlie  other. 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  Ill 

**  The  curculio  delights  most  in  the  smooth- 
skinned  stoned  fruits,  such  as  nectarines,  plums, 
apricots,  &c.  when  they  abound  on  a  farm : 
they  nevertheless  attack  the  rough-skinned  peach, 
the  apple,  pear,  and  quince.  The  instinctive  saga- 
city of  these  creatures  directs  them  especially  to 
the  fruits  most  adapted  to  their  purpose.  The 
stone  fruits  more  certainly  perish  by  the  wounds 
made  by  these  insects,  so  as  to  fall  in  due  time  to 
the  ground,  and  afford  an  opportunity  to  the  young 
maggot  to  hide  itself  in  the  earth.  Although  mul- 
titudes of  seed  fruits  fall,  yet  many  recover  from 
their  wounds,  which  heal  up,  with  deeply  indented 
scars.  This  probably  disconcerts  the  curculio,  in 
its  intended  course  to  the  earth.  Be  this  as  it 
may,  certain  it  is,  that  pears  are  less  liable  to  fall, 
and  are  less  injured  by  this  insect  than  apples. 
Nectarines,  plums,  &c.  in  most  districts  of  our  coun- 
try, where  the  curculio  has  gained  an  establish- 
ment, are  utterly  destroyed,  unless  special  means 
are  employed  for  their  preservation.  Cherries 
escape  better,  on  account  of  their  rapid  progress  to 
maturity,  and  their  abundant  crops:  the  curculio 
can  only  puncture  a  small  part  of  them,  during  the 
short  time  they  hang  upon  the  tree.  These  de- 
structive insects  continue  their  depredations  from 
the  first  of  May,  until  autumn.  Our  fruits,  collec- 
tively estimated,  must,  tlierefore,  be  depreciated 
more  than  half  their  value. 

"  It  is  supposed  the  curculio  is  not  only  injurious 
above  grount!,  but  also  in  its  retreat,  below  the  sur- 
face of  the  caith,  by  preying  on  the  roots  of  ouf 
fruit  trees.  We  know  that  beetles  have,  in  some  in- 
stances, abounded  in  such  a  manner  as  to  endanger 
whole  forests.  Our  fruit  trees  often  die  from 
manifest  injuries  done  to  the  roots  by  insects,  and 
by  no  insect  more  probably  than  the  curculio.  In 
districts  where  this  insect  abounds,  cherry  trees 
And  apple   trees,    which,   discouoert   it  most  above. 


Ii2  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

apjDear  to  be  the  special  objects  of  its  vengeance 
below  the  surface  of  the  earth. 

"  These  are  serious  evils ;  to  combat  which, 
every  scientifick  inquirer  is  loudly  called  upon  to 
exert  his  talents  ;  every  industrious  farmer  to  dou- 
ble his  diligence  ;  and  all  benevolent  characters  to 
contribute  their  mite. 

"  Naturalists  have  been  accustomed  to  destroy 
vicious  insects,  by  employing  their  natural  enemies 
to  devour  them.  We  arc  unacquainted  with  any 
tribe  of  insects  able  to  destroy  the  curculio.  All 
the  domestick  animals,  however,  if  well  directed, 
contribute  to  this  purpose.  Hogs,  in  a  special 
manner,  are  qualified  for  the  work  of  extermma- 
tion.  This  voracious  animal,  if  suffered  to  go  at 
large  in  orchards,  and  among  fruit  trees,  devours 
all  the  fruit  that  falls,  and  among  others,  the  cur- 
culiones,  in  a  maggot  state,  which  may  be  contained 
in  them.  Being  thus  generally  destroyed  in  the 
embryo  state,  there  will  be  few  or  no  bugs  to 
ascend  from  the  earth  in  the  spring,  to  injure  the 
fruit.  Many  experienced  farmers  have  noted  the 
advantage  of  hogs  running  in  orchards.  Mr.  Bord- 
ley,  in  his  excellent  '  essays  on  husbandry,'  takes 
particular  notice  of  the  great  advantage  of  hogs 
to  orchards:  and  although  he  attributes  the  bene- 
fits derived  from  these  animals  to  the  excellence  of 
their  manure,  and  their  occasional  rooting  about 
the  trees,  his  mistake  in  this  trivial  circumstance 
does  by  no  means  invalidate  the  general  remarks 
of  this  acute  observer.  The  fact  is,  hogs  render 
fruits  of  all  kinds  fair  and  unblemished,  by  destroy- 
ing; the  curculio. 

"  The  ordinary  fowls  of  a  farm-yard  are  great 
devourers  of  beetles.  Poultry,  in  general,  are  re- 
garded as  carnivorous  in  summer,  and  therefore 
cooped  some  time  before  they  are  eaten.  Every 
I)ody  knows  with  what  avidity  ducks  seize  on  tlie 
tumble  bug,  (scarahmis  carnifer,)  and  it  is  probable 


OF   FRUIT   TREES.  113 

the  curculio  is  regarded  by  all  the  fowls  as  an 
equally  delicious  morsel.  Therefore  it  is,  that  the 
smooth  stone  fruits,  particularly,  succeed  much 
better  in  lanes  and  yards,  where  the  poultry  run 
without  restraint,  than  in  gardens  and  other  enclo- 
sures, where  the  fowls  are  excluded. 

"  Even  horned  cattle,  and  all  sorts  of  stock, 
may  be  made  to  contribute  to  the  preservation  of 
our  valuable  fruits.  By  running  among  the  trees, 
they  not  only  trample  to  death  multitudes  of  these 
insects,  but  by  hardening  the  ground,  as  in  lanes,  it 
becomes  very  unfit  to  receive  or  admit  such  tender 
maggots  as  crawl  from  the  fallen  fruits.  Besides, 
the  curculio  is  very  timid,  and  when  frightened  by 
the  cattle  rubbing  against  the  tree,  or  otherwise, 
their  manner  is  to  roll  themselves  up  in  a  little 
ball,  and  fall  to  the  ground,  where  they  may  be 
trampled  and  devoured  by  the  stock,  poultry,  &;c. 
Colonel  T.  Forest,  of  Germantown,  having  a  fine 
plum  tree  near  his  pump,  tied  a  rope  from  the  tree 
to  his  pump  handle,  so  that  the  tree  was  gently 
agitated  every  time  there  was  occasion  to  pump 
water.  The  consequence  was,  that  the  fruit  oo 
this  tree  was  preserved  in  the  greatest  perfec- 
tion." 


GATHERING,  AND  PRESERVING  APPLES. 

The  fruit  orchard  having  attained  to  that  pro- 
ductive state,  in  which  the  proprietor  is  about  to 
remunerate  himself  for  his  labour  and  attention,  it 
is  still  requisite  to  exercise  due  judgment  and  dis- 
cretion in  the  grateful  employment  of  collecting  his 
crop.  The  injudicious  method  commonly  prac- 
tised in  gathering  apples  is  more  destructive  in  its 
consequences  than  is  generally  understood.  The 
first  requisite  is,  to  ascertain  precisely  when  the 
fruit  is  fully  ripe,  as  it  is  said,  that  the  longer  win- 
ter apples  are  suffered  to  remain  on  the  tree?,  pro- 
15 


114  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

vided  tliey  are  not  overtaken  by  frost,  the  longer 
they  may  be  preserved.  In  hot  chmiates,  and  in 
hot  seasons,  fruit  attains  to  maturity  and  ripeness 
©arher  than  in  colder  ones,  because  the  sap  performs 
its  office  more  rapidly.  It  may  be  considered  a 
correct  rule,  that  apples  are  ripe  when  those  that 
are  sound  and  fair  fall  naturally  from  the  trees,  or 
separate  very  readily  on  being  lifted  by  the  hand. 
They  should  be  gathered  during  a  clear  dry  air, 
after  the  dew  has  evaporated.  According  to  the 
late  philosophick  Dr.  Darwin,  in  order  to  ascertain 
when  fruits,  for  instance,  apples  and  pears,  are 
sutHciently  ripe  for  gathering,  it  is  requisite  to  at- 
tend to  the  colour  of  the  skin  enclosing  the  seeds. 
During  their  infant  state,  there  is  no  cavity  round 
the  kernels,  but  they  are  in  contact  with  the  seed 
vessels.  In  a  subsequent  period,  when  the  fruit 
has  exhausted  the  nutricious  matter,  the  cells  con- 
taining the  seeds  become  hollow,  and  the  latter 
assume  a  dark  colour.  Tliis,  Dr.  D.  observes,  is 
the  proper  criterion  by  which  to  judge  when  such 
fruits  should  be  gathered  ;  as  it  indicates  that  they 
will  not  continue  to  increase  in  size,  but  waste  and 
become  hollow,  by  absorbing  the  mucilaginous  par- 
ticles from  the  centre.  In  gathering  apples  and 
pears,  it  is  necessary  carefully  to  avoid  injuring  the 
blossom  buds,  which  are  already  formed  for  the 
next  year's  fruit.  These  buds  are  placed  at  the 
side  of  the  foot  stalk  of  the  fruit,  and  if  the  spurs 
are  broken,  there  will  be  no  fruit  on  that  part  the 
next  season.  The  pressing  against  the  treesy  there- 
fore, with  heavy  ladders,  and  the  rash  practice  of 
thrashing  the  limbs  with  poles,  ought  to  be  entirely 
abandoned;  for  by  such  means,  the  bark  and  limbs 
are  bruised,  and  the  blossom  buds  for  the  succeed- 
ing year  are  destroyed.  Instead  of  ladders,  step- 
ping frames  should  be  employed,  and  a  pole,  fur- 
nished with  a  hook  at  the  end,  and  covered  with 
coarse   cloth,   may   be    used    to    shako    the   small 


OF    FRUIT   TREES.  116 

limbs,  without  injuring  the  bark.  When  perfectly 
ripe,  apples  for  cider  may.  be  shaken  off  without 
injury  to  the  buds,  but  still  they  will  be  bruised, 
unless  the  ground  be  covered  with  blankets  or 
straw.  Particular  care  is  requisite  in  gathering 
winter  fruit  for  keeping:  they  should  be  gathered 
by  the  hand,  and  without  injury,  removing  them 
from  the  gathering  basket  to  the  casks  prepared 
for  them,  with  great  care :  if  bruised,  they  soon 
decay;  and  the  less  those  that  are  sound  are  mov- 
ed, the  better.  When  in  barrels,  they  should  be 
placed  in  a  dry,  cool,  shaded  situation,  above 
ground,  and  remain  until  danger  by  frost,  and  thee 
put  into  the  cellar. 

The  following  valuable  observations,  contained 
in  a  letter  from  N.  Webster,  esquire,  have  been 
published  in  the  Massachusetts  Agricultm'al  Reposi- 
tory, from  the  Connecticut  Courant. 

PRESERVATION  OF  APPLES. 

"  It  is  the  practice  with  some  persons,  to  pick 
them  in  October,  and  first  spread  them  on  the 
floor  of  an  upper  room.  This  practice  is  said  to 
render  apples  more  durable,  by  drying  them.  But 
I  can  affirm  this  to  be  a  mistake.  Apples,  if  re- 
maining on  the  trees  as  long  as  safety  from  the 
frost  will  admit,  should  be  taken  directly  from  the 
trees  to  close  casks,  and  kept  dry  and  cool  as  pos- 
sible. If  suffered  to  lie  on  a  floor  for  weeks,  they 
wither  and  lose  their  flavour,  without  acquiring  any 
additional  durability.  The  best  mode  of  preserving- 
apples  for  spring  use,  I  have  found  to  be,  the  put- 
ting them  in  dry  sand  as  soon  as  picked.  For  this 
purpose,  I  dry  sand  in  the  heat  of  summer,  and 
late  in  October  put  down  the  apples  in  layers,  with 
a  covering  of  sand  upon  each  layer.  The  singular 
advantages  of  this  mode  of  treatment  are  these : 
1st.  The  sand  keeps  the  apples  from  the  air,  which 


116  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMEAT 

is  essential  to  their  preservation.  2dly.  The 
sand  checks  the  evaporation  or  perspiration  of 
the  apples,  thus  preserving  in  them  their  full  fla- 
vour— at  the  same  time,  any  moisture  yielded  by 
*the  apples,  (and  some  there  will  be,)  is  absorbed  by 
the  sand ;  so  that  the  apples  are  kept  dry,  and  all 
mustiness  is  prevented.  My  pippins,  in  May  and 
June,  are  as  fresh  as  when  first  picked  ;  even  the 
ends  of  the  stems  look  as  if  just  separated  from 
the  twig." 

An  English  writer  recommends  the  use  of  dry 
pit  sand,  for  the  preservation  of  apples  and  pears. 
Glazed  earthen  jars  are  to  be  provided,  and  the 
sand  is  to  be  thoroughly  dried.  A  layer  of  sand, 
an  inch  thick,  is  then  to  be  placed  in  the  bottom  of 
the  jar  ;  above  this,  a  layer  of  fruit,  to  be  covered 
with  a  layer  of  sand,  an  inch  thick ;  then  lay  a  se- 
cond stratum  of  fruit,  covering  again  with  an  inch 
of  sand.  An  inch  and  a  half  of  sand  may  be  placed 
over  the  uppermost  row  of  fruit.  The  jar  is  now 
to  be  closed,  and  placed  in  a  dry,  airy  situation,  as 
cool  as  possible,  but  entirely  free  from  frost.  Wheat 
bran  is  sometimes  substituted  for  sand. 

"One  of  the  most  easy  methods,"  says  Dr.  Dar- 
Vvjn,  "  of  preserving  fruit  is  that  of  depositing  it  in 
ice-houses,  where  it  may  remain  in  a  frozen  state 
for  a  considerable  time.  And  if  the  fruit  be  after- 
wards gradually  thawed,  by  covering  it  with  melt^ 
ice,  or  immersing  it  in  cold  spring  water,  it  will  lose 
but  little  of  its  flavour,  provided  it  be  consumed  on 
the  same  day." 

Mr.  Forsyth  gives  the  following  directions  for 
picking  and  preserving  fruit.  "  All  apples,  pears, 
&LC.  ought  to  be  carefully  picked  by  hand,  and  laid 
in  baskets  containing  dried  grass,  to  prevent  them 
from  being  bruised  ;  and  if  they  fall  spontaneously, 
some  dry  barley  straw,  or  pease  haulm  should  be 
prepared  for  their  reception  on  the  ground;  in  the 
latter  instance,  the  fruit  ought  to  be  separated  front* 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  117 

and  sent  to  table  before  that  which  is  collected  by 
hand ;  and  such  as  may  be  accidentally  bruised 
ought  to  be  reserved  for  culinary  purposes,  because 
it  cannot  be  long  kept  in  a  sound  state.  When  all 
the  fruit  is  collected,  it  should  be  conveyed  to  the 
store  room,  laid  gently,  in  small  heaps,  on  dried 
grass,  and  their  tops  be  covered  Avith  short  grass, 
in  order  to  sweat.  Here  it  may  remain  for  about  a 
fortnight,  during  which  time,  each  apple,  pear,  &c. 
must  be  occasionally  wiped  with  a  dry  woollen  cloth, 
and  those  exposed  on  the  surface  should  be  placed 
towards  the  middle  of  the  heap.  At  the  end  of 
this  period,  all  vv^atery  ingredients  that  may  have 
been  imbibed  during  a  wet  season,  will  be  evapo- 
rated; the  hea|)s  should  then  be  uncovered,  and 
each  article  carefully  wiped;  separating  those  which 
may  be  injured,  or  unfit  for  keeping.  During  this 
process  of  sweating,  tlie  windows  of  the  store  room, 
excepting  in  wet  or  foggy  weather,  ought  to  be 
continually  open,  in  order  to  discharge  the  moisture 
perspiring  from  the  fruit.  The  usual  method  of 
storing  pears,  apples,  &c.  consists  in  laymg  them  on 
clean  wheaten  straw ;  but  in  this  case,  it  will  be  ne- 
cessary to  examine  them  frequently,  and  to  remove 
such  as  begin  to  decay;  because  the  straw,  by  ab- 
sorbing moisture,  will  become  so  tamted  as  to  com- 
municate an  unpleasant  flavour."  The  best  mode 
of  preserving  fruit,  however,  in  the  opinion  of  Mr. 
Forsyth,  is  that  of  packing  it  in  glazed  earthen  jars, 
which  ought  to  be  kept  in  dry  apartments.  For 
this  purpose,  apples  and  pears  are  to  be  wrapped 
separately  in  soft  papers,  and  laid  at  the  bottom  of 
the  vessel,  on  a  thin  stratum  of  w^ell  dried  bran. 
Alternate  layers  of  bran  and  fruit  are  then  to  fol- 
low, till  the  jar  be  filled  ;  when  it  should  be  gently 
shaken,  in  order  to  settle  its  contents.  Every  va- 
caircy  must  now  be  supplied  with  bran,  covered 
with  paper,  and  the  whole  secured  from  air  and 
moisture,  by  a  piece  of  bladder,  over  which  the 
cover  of  the  vessel  must  be  carefully  fitted. 


118  CULTURE    A>D    WANAGEMEIiT 

LIST  OF  APPLES 

HELD  IK  MOST  ESTIMATION  IN  THE  UMTED  STATES. 

An  accurate  technical  list  of  the  various  sorts  oi' 
apples  known  in  the  United  States,  would  be  con- 
sidered an  acquisition  of  importance;  but  their 
names  are  derired  from  such  various  and  capricious 
causes,  or  incidents,  that  a  correct  list  cannot  be 
easily  accomplished ;  some  have  received  names  de- 
scriptive of  the  fruit,  and  others  are  derived  from 
the  places  where  they  have  been  first  found,  or 
from  the  original  cultivator.  But  a  serious  misfor- 
tune is,  in  several  instances  the  same  fruit  bears 
many  dilTerent  names  in  different  places;  which  sub- 
jects the  planter  to  much  inconvenience,  as  it  not 
imfrequently  happens,  that  grafts  of  a  supposed  new 
v^ariety  are  obtained  from  a  distance,  under  a  differ- 
ent name,  which  eventually  prove  to  produce  the 
same  kind  of  fruit,  with  which  his  orchard  already 
abounds.  I  have  this  season  received  grafts  from 
trees,  called  red  queen  apple,  which,  on  examining 
the  fruit  of  the  last  year,  I  discovered  to  be  the 
Baldwin  apple.  William  Coxe,  esquire,  of  Burling- 
ton, New  Jersey,  possesses  the  most  extensive  or- 
chard and  cider  establishment,  it  is  presumed,  in 
the  United  States,  consisting  of  more  than  four 
thousand  apple  trees,  besides  other  fruit.  This 
gentleman  has  favoured  the  publick  with  a  view  of 
the  cultivation  of  fruit  trees,  &:c.  which  contains  a 
descriptive  list  of  one  hundred  and  thirty-three  va- 
rieties of  apples,  which  are  cultivated  on  his  own 
plantation.  To  this  list  may  be  be  added  others, 
in  various  parts  of  the  union,  amounting,  probably, 
to  several  hundreds.  The  following  is  from  Dr. 
Mease's  edition  Domestick  Encyclopedia  :  "  The 
family  of  Prince,  at  Flushing,  Long  Island,  have 
been  many  years  celebrated  for  their  fine  fruit,  and 


OP   FRUIT    TREES.  H9 

same  of  the  choicest  kinds  to  be  met  with,  in  vari- 
ous parts  of  the  United  States,  have  been  brouglit 
from  their  nursury.  A  verj  extensive  and  excel- 
lent collection  of  fruits,  both  imported  and  native, 
was  originally  commenced,  about  ten  years  since,  by 
William  Coxe,  esquire,  of  Burlington,  New  Jersey, 
and  is  now  for  sale  by  I.  Smith  &  Co.  at  that  place. 
In  this  grand  collection,  there  are  eighty  kinds  of 
apples,  (now  one  hundred  and  thirty-three,)  ninety 
kinds  of  pears,  and  fifty-one  of  cherries,  nearly  all 
imported,  and  one  hundred  varieties  of  peaches. 
Mr.  Samuel  Coles,  of  Maor's  town,  New  Jersey,  has 
also  an  excellent  collection.  Several  French  gen- 
tlemen, who  have  taken  up  their  residence  near 
Philadelphia,  have  done  much  in  a  few  years  to- 
wards improving  our  stock  of  fruits,  by  importing 
largely  of  the  finest  kinds  from  France  ;  and  there 
can  be  no  doubt,  if  we  take  pains  to  propagate  from 
the  valuable  stock  in  our  power,  that  in  a  few  years, 
the  neighbourhood  of  Philadelphia  may  boast  of  as 
fine  a  collection  as  can  be  desired. 

"  Under  the  article  apple,  some  important  re- 
marks were  given  on  this  subject ;  the  editor  has 
now  great  pleasure  in  presenting  to  the  American 
publick  the  first  attempt  ever  made  to  collect,  in 
one  view,  a  list  of  the  finest  kinds  of  apples  growing 
in  the  United  States.  For  the  materials,  of  which 
this  list  was  composed,  he  has  been  indebted  to 
Mr.  William  Prince,  of  Long  Island,  Mr.  R.  Riley, 
of  Marcus  Hook,  Chester  county,  William  Coxe, 
esquire,  of  Burlington,  and  the  honourable  Judge 
Boudinot,  of  Newark,  New  Jersey  ;  through  whom, 
also,  the  valuable  facts  from  Mr.  John  Ogden,  of 
Newark,  and  from  Mr.  Asa  Hillyes,  of  Orange,  Es- 
sex county.  New  Jersey,  were  obtained ;  and  he, 
with  thanks,  expresses  his  obligations  to  them  for 
their  ready  assistance  and  communication.  Atten- 
tive, however,  as  his  friends  have  been,  he  cannot 
suppose  that  the  list  comprehends   cvciy  apple  iii 


120  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

the  United  States;  but  he  is  satisfied,  that  the 
most  valuable  have  been  described,  and  he  will 
gladly  receive  accounts  of  any  others,  which  may 
have  been  unnoticed,  and  add  them  to  the  list, 
should  another  edition  of  this  work  be  called  for." 

From  the  ample  catalogues  of  Dr.  Mease  and 
William  Coxe,  esquire,  and  from  other  sources,  I 
have  selected  a  list  of  those  which  are  held  in 
most  estimation,  and  such  as  are  generally  in  de- 
mand at  market. 

Those  marked  c.  are  cider  apples. 

1.  American  pippiti^  c.  "  was  brought  from  Mary- 
land to  Marcus  Hook,  thirty  years  since.  It  is  of 
a  flattish  form,  middle  size,  firm  subtance,  resem- 
bling the  vandevere,  and  will  keep  till  harvest. 
Mr.  Coxe  describes  it  as  a  long  fruit,  having  a  dull 
red  stripe.  Fourteen  bushels  of  these  apples  are 
required,  at  Marcus  Hook,  to  make  one  barrel  of 
cider."  (Mease.) 

2.  American  nonpareil,  or  doctor  apple,  in  Penn- 
sylvania. "  Will  keep  from  November  to  March. 
A  large  red-striped  apple,  of  excellent  flavour,  and 
very  juicy.  It  keeps'-tolerably  well  during  winter. 
The  tree  is  subject  to  blast." 

3.  Autumn,  or  Jail  pippin.  ''•  Ripens  in  October. 
A  large  yellow  apple,  acid  taste,  and  pleasant  fla- 
vour. It  is  also  a  good  kitchen  apple.  It  usually 
weighs  nineteen  ounces.     Keeps  well." 

4.  Aunfs  apple.  "  This  is  a  beautiful  and  large 
npple,  of  an  oblong  make,  resembling  the  Priestly 
in  shape  ;  the  skin  smooth,  streaked  with  a  lively 
red,  on  a  yellow  ground  ;  the  flesh  is  yellow,  break- 
ing and  juicy ;  of  an  agreeable  flavour,  but  not 
rich.  It  ripens  in  November,  and,  from  its  hand- 
gome  appearance,  is  a  valuable  market  fruit.  The 
tree  is  small,  the  growth  delicate,  and  its  fruitful- 
ness  great.  It  is  extensively  cultivated  in  several 
of  the  eastern  counties  of  Pennsylvania."  (Coxe.) 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  121 

5.  Baldwin  apple,  or  Pecker  apple  ;  is  a  very  va- 
luable red  apple,  large  and  beautiful,  fine  flavoured, 
and  will  keep  till  April.  It  is  in  high  estimation 
in  Massachusetts. 

6.  Baltimore  apple.  In  the  transactions  of  the 
horticultural  society  of  London,  published  in  1817, 
it  is  stated,  that  a  large  apple,  raised  in  the  garden 
of  Mr.  Smith,  near  the  city  of  Baltimore,  was  exhi- 
bited ;  it  had  been  recently  imported  by  captain 
George  Hobson,  of  Baltimore,  who  sent  it  to  sir  Jo- 
seph Banks,  by  whom  it  was  presented  to  the  socie- 
ty. This  apple,  of  which  an  engraving  accompanies 
this  account,  weighed  one  pound  seven  and  a  half 
ounces ;  it  measured  in  circumference  one  foot  two 
inches  and  three  quarters,  and  in  height  as  it  stood, 
was  four  inches,  it  proved  very  good,  though  over 
ripe ;  it  was  very  close  at  the  core,  and,  if  a  good 
bearer,  will  deserve  general  cultivation.  The  draw- 
ing is  coloured,  and  very  interesting. 

Note  by  the  editor  of  the  American  Farmer. 
"  The  apple  here  spoken  of  grew  on  the  farm  of 
Robert  Smith,  esquire,  where,  we  are  authorized 
to  state,  cuttings  may  be  had  for  grafting." 

7.  Black  apple.  "  Ripe  in  November  ;  a  very 
deep  red.  A  much-admired  fruit  near  Trenton, 
New  Jersey.  Mr.  Boudinot,  of  New  Jersey,  says, 
"  there  is  an  apple  lately  discovered  here,  which  is 
called  by  the  owner  of  the  orchard,  a  black  apple. 
It  appears  to  be  a  species  between  the  Spitzen- 
burgh  and  common  black  apple."  (Mease.) 

8.  Brownite.  In  Mr.  Riley's  opinion,  this  is  ex- 
celled by  none  for  the  table.  It  is  ripe  in  Septem- 
ber, and  keeps  well.  It  was  discovered  by  Row- 
son,  an  old  Swede,  near  Marcus  Hook. 

9.  Bow  apple.  Ripens  in  June  and  July ; — 
equal  to  any  summer  apple.  It  is  juicy,  tender, 
and  mild  ;  of  a  light  yellow  colour. 

10.  Bell  flower.  •'  A  long  yellow  apple,  of  good 
flavour,  very  large,  and  excellent  for  the  table,  and 

16 


122  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

for  cooking.  When  fully  ripe,  which  is  in  Octo- 
tober,  the  seeds  may  be  heard  to  rattle,  when 
shaken.  This  beautiful  apple  will  keep  well 
through  the  winter  ;  and  it  is  held  in  great  estima- 
tion in  the  Philadelphia  market." 

11.  Bullock^ s  pippin,  or  sheep's  snout.  This  is  a 
native  of  New  Jersey,  and  is  sometimes  called  the 
hng  torn.  It  is  in  high  repute,  in  autumn  and  the 
fh'st  part  of  winter,  for  its  rich  and  sprightly  juice, 
and  is  much  admired  when  baked. 

12.  Campfield,  or  JVewark  sweeting,  c.  "  Is  a 
large  sweet  fruit,  of  a  pale  red  colour;  ripens  about 
the  beginning  of  October,  and  keeps  well,  if  care- 
fully picked.  Being  a  rich  fruit,  it  is  necessary  to 
mix  the  Harrison  apple  with  it,  in  order  to  refine 
the  cider  produced  from  it." 

13.  Cat-head.  "  This  is  a  very  large,  round  ap- 
ple, flattened  at  the  ends,  and  deeply  hollowed  :  the 
stalk  is  short  and  thick,  so  deeply  sunk  as  to  be 
almost  imperceptible  :  the  colour  a  greenish  yel- 
low, the  flesh  white  :  a  good  apple  for  cooking  and 
drying,  but  apt  to  drop  frop  the  tree,  from  its 
great  weight ;  and  deficient  in  point  of  richness  and 
flavour."  (Coxe.) 

14.  Catline,  c.  A  Delaware  autumn  cider  fruit, 
and  considered  a  pleasant  eating  apple,  in  its  sea- 
son. The  tree  is  very  productive,  and  an  early 
bearer. 

15.  CarthoKse,  or  gilpin,  c.  "  This  apple  is  said 
to  have  been  brought  from  Virginia.  It  is  highly 
esteemed  for  its  excellence  as  a  table  apple,  late  in 
the  spring,  and  as  a  good  cider  fruit.  It  is  a  most  abun- 
dant bearer,  and  hangs  on  the  tree  very  late  in  the 
season.  The  tree  is  hardy ;  of  a  handsome,  open, 
spreading,  and  vigorous  growth :  the  fruit  is  small ; 
the  colour  a  deep  red,  sometimes  a  little  streaked 
with  yellow ;  the  skin  of  a  polished  smoothness; 
the  form  inclining  to  oblong.  The  flesh  is  very 
firm,  yellow,  and  rich ;  not  fit  for  eating  until  mid- 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  12J'3 

winter,  when  it  becomes  juicy,  tender,  and  finely 
flavoured."  (Goxe.) 

16.  Cider  apple,  c.  "  The  apple  propagated 
under  tiiis  name  is  highly  esteemed,  as  a  most  pro- 
ductive and  excellent  cider  fruit,  in  the  county  of 
Bucks,  and  the  contiguous  parts  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  size  is  middling;  its  appearance  resembles 
the  vandevere ;  the  skin  is  smooth,  a  lively  streaked 
red :  it  is  a  pleasant  table  fruit,  but  is  chiefly  used 
for  cider.  The  tree  is  tall ;  the  limbs  shoot  up- 
ward. It  is  sometimes  loaded  with  fruit,  beyond 
any  other  tree  in  our  orchards ;  requiring  great  care 
to  prevent  the  branches  being  destroyed  by  the 
weight  of  fruit.  It  ripens  in  October  and  Novem- 
ber." (Coxe.) 

17.  Codling.  The  codling,  called  also  the  Eng- 
lish codling,  is  a  very  fine  fruit  for  pies  and  stewing, 
and  is  also  a  pleasant  table  apple.  It  grows  very 
large  and  fair;  the  form  is  oblong,  rather  irregular; 
the  skin  is  a  bright,  though  pale  yellow,  with  a  fine 
blush,  frequently,  towards  the  sun;  it  is  somewhat 
pointed  towards  the  blossom  end;  the  stalk  short; 
the  flesh  white,  tender  and  sprightly.  The  tree  is 
uncommonly  handsome,  vigorous  and  fruitful;  bear- 
ing very  young,  and  constantly ;  the  leaves  are  large ; 
it  makes  a  fine  appearance  in  an  orchard.  The 
fruit  is  fit  for  stewing  from  the  first  of  August,  but 
does  not  become  fully  ripe  until  the  end  of  that 
month,  and  continues  in  season  till  late  in  October. 
It  is  one  of  the  profitable  apples  for  market;  ripen- 
ing gradually,  and  being  very  free  from  rot.'* 
(Coxa.) 

18.  Corlies  sweet,  c.  "  This  is  a  large,  fair  apple, 
rather  long  in  shape,  of  a  bright  yellow  colour, 
smooth  skin,  a  faint  blush,  and  a  few  small  grev 
specks  ;  the  stalk  is  short,  and  of  a  middling  thick- 
ness ;  the  flesh  is  coarsely  grained,  white  and  sweet ; 
it  ripens  in  September  and  October,  but  will  keep 
later  for  cider,  for  which  it  is  highly  esteemed. 


124  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

The  tree  grows  vigorously,  with  a  singularly  deep 
green  foliage,  and  round  head :  it  is  a  great  bearer. 
It  was  brought  from  East  Jersey."     (Coxe.) 

19.  Cooper's  russeiing^  c.  "Keeps  from  Octo- 
ber to  May.  A  natural  fruit,  produced  on  the  farm 
of  Joseph  Cooper,  of  New  Jersey,  who  believes  it 
to  be  of  Indian  origin ;  as  the  tree,  from  which  he 
(when  a  young  man)  preserved  a  graft,  was  an  old 
decayed  tree,  and  the  place  on  which  it  grew  was 
originally  the  site  of  an  Indian  village.  It  is  some- 
what dry,  but  of  a  pleasant  sweetish  taste.  This 
apple  makes  most  excellent  cider :  it  also  is  a  good 
pie  apple,  and  best  when  not  pared.  Pears,  boiled 
m  russeting  cider,  with  about  half  sugar,  make  a 
good  preserve.  The  trees  bear  abundantly  every 
second  year :  the  limbs  spread  horizontally,  and  are 
short.  This  excellent  fruit,  being  justly  esteemed, 
is  much  propagated  by  engrafting,  in  New  Jersey." 
(Mease.) 

20.  Flat  sweetiniy^  or  hornet  sweetings  from  the 
circumstance  of  its  being  a  favourite  of  hornets,  on 
account  of  its  rich,  sirujjy  juice.  This  is  a  flat  ap- 
ple, thin  skin,  and  of  a  yellowish  colour  ;  flesh  white, 
and  juice  saccharine  and  pleasant.  Ripe  in  Sep- 
tember, and  will  keep  several  months.  It  is  doubt- 
ful whether  this  fruit  is  known  out  of  the  county  of 
Plymouth,     Its  origin  not  ascertained. 

21.  Gloucester  white,  c.  "This  apple  is  of  a 
middling  size;  of  a  shape  not  very  uniform,  vary- 
ing from  an  oblong  to  a  flat  form;  the  colour,  when 
ripe,  is  a  bright  yellow  ;  rich,  breaking  and  juicy  ; 
of  a  fine  flavour,  as  a  table  apple  ;  and  producing 
cider  of  an  exquisite  taste.  The  stalk  is  of  the 
ordinary  length,  inserted  in  a  cavity  of  medium 
depth;  the  crown  is  moderately  deep;  the  time  of 
ripening  is  about  the  first  of  October,  after  which 
the  fruit  soon  falls,  and  is  fit  for  cider:  it  does  not 
keep  long,  but,  while  in  season,  is  a  delicious  table 
apple.     The  tree  is  very  thrifty,  hardy  and  vigo- 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  125 

rous ;  of  a  regular  and  beautiful  form,  and  very  pro- 
ductive. It  is  much  cultivated  in  the  lower  coun- 
ties of  Virginia ;  from  Avhence  I  procured  it,  as  an 
apple  of  high  reputation."     (Coxe.) 

22.  Golden  pippin.  "  Keeps  from  October  to 
January ;  slightly  acid  ;  yellow  on  one  side,  and  red 
on  the  other:  it  is  a  good  apple,  according  to  Mr. 
Riley,  and  was  brought  from  England  by  William 
Penn.     It  succeeds  best  on  a  sandy  soil." 

23.  Golden  rennet.  "  A  beautiful  and  excellent 
apple,  of  a  bright  yellow  tint,  marked  on  the  south 
side  with  faint  red  streaks,  and  yellow  brown  dots; 
its  flesh  is  remarkably  tender,  and  of  a  glossy  white ; 
the  juice  has  the  taste  and  flavour  peculiar  to  pine 
apples,  and  which  is  also  found  in  the  golden  pip- 
pin :  when  stored,  it  ripens  in  December,  but  attains 
to  perfection  only  in  February.  The  tree  has  a 
healthy  appearance,  and  is  of  a  middling  size." 

24.  Green  everlasting.  "  Light  green  colour ; 
skin  remarkably  smooth  and  fair.  This  apple  keeps 
well,  until  late  in  the  summer,  and  some  have  kept 
perfectly  sound  more  than  a  year  from  the  time 
they  were  gathered."     (Mease.) 

25.  Green  JVewton  pippin,  c.  "  It  is  of  a  flattish 
form,  and  green  colour,  when  first  gathered,  turning 
yellow  in  the  spring,  and  is  justly  esteemed  the  best 
table  apple  in  America.  It  is  supposed  to  have 
come  originally  from  Holland,  but  Mr.  Prince  says, 
it  originated  in  the  town  of  Newton,  Queen's  coun- 
ty. Long  Island,  state  of  New  York.  In  general, 
apples,  kept  till  the  spring,  lose  t'lelr  flavour,  and 
become  mealy,  but  the  Newton  pippin  may  be  kept 
till  June,  without  losing  either  its  juice  or  flavour. 
It  is  an  excellent  apple  for  cider,  either  alone,  or 
mixed  with  others.  Many  varieties  are  raised  from 
ihe  seed  of  it,  of  a  large  size,  but  different  in  form 
and  culour.  Mr.  Riley,  of  Marcus  Hook,  says,  there 
are  two  varieties  raised  at  Newton,  in  Chcsler  coun- 
ty.    The  flat  sort  is  much  the  best,  and  the  great- 


l^G  tXJLTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

est  bearer.  It  is  an  excellent  apple  for  house  use; 
makes  a  large  quantity  of  cider,  though  of  a  thin 
quality.  A  large  long  kind,  sometimes  called  lady- 
finger,  is  not  so  good;  the  taste  is  not  so  pleasant, 
and  they  have  a  thick  skin.  This  apple  is  of  a 
beautiful  golden  colour,  in  the  spring.  The  trees 
of  both  those  varieties  grow  larger,  and  are  great 
bearers.  Forsyth  remarks,  that  the  Newton  pip- 
pin seldom  ripens  in  England.  Mr.  Cooper,  of 
New  Jersey,  remarks,  that  the  Newton  pippin  does 
not  thrive  in  a  sandy  soil."     (Mease.) 

26.  Grey  house,  c.  "  Mr.  Riley,  of  Marcus  Hook, 
thinks  this  is  not  excelled  by  any  for  making  cider : 
it  is  of  a  middling  size,  reddish  grey  colour,  ripe  in 
October.  Cider  is  made  of  it  in  November.  The 
tree  bears  but  every  other  year,  and  then  is  heavi- 
ly loaded.  It  is  a  very  tender  fruit,  though  late  in 
blossoming.  At  the  time  of  the  formation  of  this 
fruit,  it  is  very  subject  to  perish  by  easterly  winds, 
attended  by  cold  rains,  which  frequently  cause  the 
apples  to  fall  olf  in  abundance,  sometunes  to  the 
loss  of  the  whole  crop  ;  and,  on  an  average,  the  tree 
does  not  succeed  in  bearing  a  good  crop  above  one 
fourth  of  the  time.  It  was  first  discovered  by  P. 
Roman,  in  his  township,  (Marcus  Hook,)  by  a  na- 
tural tree,  that  grew  close  to  his  house  ;  hence  call- 
ed his  house  tree,  and  by  some,  Roman  knights.  This 
tree  is  of  a  middling  size,  inclines  to  grow  low,  and 
is  short  lived.  Twelve  bushels  of  these  apples  are 
required  to  make  a  barrel  of  cider."     (Mease.) 

27.  Ha^rJoe  crab,  c.  '*  According  to  Mr.  Mar- 
shall, a  gentleman  in  Herefordshire,  England,  Mr. 
Bellamy,  produces  cider  from  the  Hagloe  crab, 
which,  for  richness,  flavour,  and  price  on  the  spot, 
exceeds,  perhaps,  every  otlier  fruit  liquor,  which 
nature  or  art  have  produced.  He  has  been  ofTer* 
ed  sixty  guineas  for  a  hogshead,  containing  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  gallons  of  this  liquor."  William 
Coxe,  esquire,  of  Burlington,  New  Jersey,  having 


OF    FRUIT    TREE^.  i'^ 

cultisrated  this  fruit,  describes  it  as  follows :  "  The 
fruit,  when  fully  ripe,  has  a  yellow  ground,  streaked 
with  bright  red;  the  size  about  middling;  the  form 
round,  flat  at  the  ends;  the  stalk  large;  the  flesh 
remarkably  soft  and  woolly,  but  not  dry;  the  taste 
acid,  but  highly  flavoured;  the  quantity  of  juice 
smaller,  in  proportion  to  the  fibrous  matter,  than 
in  most  other  apples,  requiring  nearly  one  third 
more  of  the  hagloes  for  a  barrel  of  cider,  than  of 
common  fruit;  the  juice,  though  uncommonly 
sheer,  is  singularly  rich  ;  and  though  the  smell  of 
the  apple  is  faint,  the  flavour  of  the  cider  is  high, 
and,  when  properly  manufactured,  is  very  rich^ 
The  colour  of  the  flesh  is  pale,  but  that  of  the 
cider,  dark ;  it  ripens  in  August  and  September ; 
keeps  a  long  time  without  rotting;  it  bears  abun- 
dantly and  early ;  the  growth  of  the  tree  is  very 
uncommon;  thick  strong  shoots ;  buds,  particularly 
at  the  extremity  of  the  branches,  very  large;  the 
the  colour  of  the  wood  dark  ;  the  size  of  the  tree  is 
small.  The  Hagloe  is  an  uncommon  fine  cooking- 
apple  ;  and  from  its  great  beauty  and  large  size, 
added  to  its  abundant  bearing,  is  a  valuable  market 
fruit." 

28.  Harrism  apple,  or  long  stem,  c.  "  It  is  of  a 
moderate  size,  and  of  a  rich  dry  taste,  with  a  tart- 
ness, that  renders  its  sweetness  agreeable  and  live- 
ly. It  ripens  about  the  beginning  of  November: 
keeps  a  long  time,  and  answers  well  for  culinary 
purposes.  The  cider  made  from  this  apple  is 
clear,  high  coloured,  rich,  and  lively.  General 
Washington  was  presented  with  a  barrel  of  it,  by 
judge  Boudinot,  of  Newark,  New  Jersey,  and  he 
declared  his  preference  of  it  to  that  made  from 
Hughes's  Virginia  crab.  This  fruit  originated  in 
Essex  county,  New  Jersey,  where  it  is  now  very 
extensively  cultivated.  The  cider  from  this  fruit 
sells  from  eight  to  ten  dollars  per  barrel.  Mr. 
Cpxe  observes,  "  as  a  more  vinous,  rich  and  highly- 


128         CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

flavoured  liquor,  I  prefer  the  Harrison  to  the  crab 
cider."  (Mease.)  "  One  tree  of  this  kind,  this 
year,  (1817,)  in  an  orchard  in  Essex  county,"  sajs 
Mr.  Coxe,  "  produced  upwards  of  one  hundred 
bushels,  eighty-seven  of  which  were  gathered, 
when  fully  ripe  ;  the  others  were  fallen  fruit,  care- 
fully measured,  to  ascertain  the  quantity." 

29.  Harty  sweetings  c.  A  small  yellow  apple ; 
ripens  in  autumn,  and  is  considered  a  valuable  cider 
apple,  but  not  very  useful  for  other  purposes. 

30.  High-top  sweeting.  This  tree,  it  is  believed, 
is  peculiar  to  the  old  Plymouth  colony.  The  first 
settlers,  either  from  choice,  or  for  want  of  other 
varieties,  cultivated  it  more  generally  than  any 
other  apple.  It  is  nt)vv  much  on  the  decline.  The 
fruit  is  under  the  middle  size;  of  a  yellowish  colour, 
pleasant  taste ;  but  chiefly  used  for  baking,  and  for 
drying.  It  is  ripe  in  August,  and  is  not  long  pre- 
served. The  tree  is  remarkable  for  its  long  up- 
right stem. 

.31.  Holmes  apple.,  c.  Was  first  planted  by  Z. 
Holmes,  esquire,  of  Kingston,  Plymouth  county. 
He  set  in  the  ground  a  small  sprout,  without  know- 
ing its  qualities,  and  in  the  eleventh  year  he  gather- 
ed from  it  thirty  bushels  of  apples.  It  is  now 
much  admired,  and  extensively  cultivated,  in  thi» 
vicinity.  The  tree  bears  young,  and  every  year  ; 
the  more  abundantly  every  second  year.  The 
fruit  is  of  a  middling  size  ;  the  skin  white,  with  a 
blush  on  the  sun  side.  Ripe  in  November;  keeps 
through  the  winter;  has  a  pleasant  flavour;  and 
makes  good  cider. 

32.  HoUen  sweeting,  c.  It  is  among  the  excel- 
lences of  this  tree,  that  it  flourishes  in  a  thin  soil, 
and  that  it  bears  remarkably  early,  and  very  uni- 
formly. Ripe  in  September;  and  is  an  excellent 
fall  apple  for  family  use,  and  for  cider  of  tlie  first 
quality.  It  is  deserving  of  general  cultivation. 
No  account  of  its  origin  has  been  obtained. 


OP  FRUIT  TPxEES.  129 

33.  Hughes's  Virginia  crab,  c.  "  A  small  fruit, 
of  a  light  green  colour,  striped  with  red,  and  of  a 
harsh  unpleasant  taste.  Originated  in  Virginia; 
and  is  highly  valued  as  a  cider  fruit,  as  its  must  is 
less  disposed,  from  its  great  acidity,  to  rise  too  high 
in  fermentation,  than  that  of  any  other  apple;  and 
it  has,  besides,  almost  every  other  property  of  a 
cider  apple.  The  trees  bear  abundantly  ;  the  fruit 
ripens  late,  and  is  free  from  rot  of  any  kind ;  the 
fruit  is  small  and  hard,  and,  therefore,  bears  the 
fall  from  the  tree,  without  bruising.  It  grinds 
small,  and  the  pulp  is  remarkably  tough,  yet  parts 
with  its  juice  readily ;  and  the  must  runs  from  the 
press  very  fine  and  clear. 

34.  Lady  apple.  Pomone  d'apis.  This  is  of 
French  origin;  of  a  bright  red  colour  next  the  sun, 
and  yellow  and'  green  on  the  other  side.  A  most 
beautiful  little  apple,  and  of  pleasant  taste.  It 
keeps  well  during  the  winter,  and  is  a  much  ad- 
mired dessert  apple. 

35.  Lady  finger.  A  long,  tapering  fruit,  of  a 
beautiful  yellow  and  red  colour.  It  is  well  flavour- 
ed, and  keeps  until  June.  The  tree  bears  abun- 
dantly. 

36.  Large  red  and  green  sweeting.  Ripens  in 
September.  A  very  large  fruit,  weighing  a  pound. 
Red,  streaked  on  a  yellow  ground;  the  flesh  sweet 
and  tender. 

37.  Large  early  harvest.  "  Ripens  in  June  and 
July.  It  is  usually  as  large  as  a  middle  sized  New- 
ton pippin ;  of  a  pale  yellow  colour,  when  ripe  ;  of 
a  pleasant  acid  taste,  and  answers  best  for  tarts, 
and  may  be  used  for  that  purpose,  when  no  larger 
than  a  nutmeg;  but  cutting  them  in  two  equal 
parts,  without  peeling."     (Mease.) 

38.  Loring  sweeting.  The  apple,  known  by  this 
name,  was  brought  from  the  county  of  Bristol,  by 
Mr.  E.  Loring,  of  Plympton,  Plymouth  county,  and 
is  much  cultivated  in  this  vicinity  ;  its  ori2;in,  or  the 

17 


130  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

name  by  which  it  is  distinguished  in  other  parts  of 
the  country,  I  have  not  been  able  to  ascertain. 
The  fruit  is  large  and  fair;  of  a  pale  yellow 
colour;  the  flesh  is  sweet,  and  extremely  pleasant; 
abounding  in  a  rich  sirupy  juice ;  and,  as  a  baking 
apple,  it  is  of  superiour  excellence.  It  ripens  in  au- 
tumn, and  retains  its  good  properties  till  March. 
This  fruit  ought  to  be  introduced  into  every  or- 
chard. 

39.  Large  yellow  JYewark  pippin —  Yellow  pippin — 
French  pippin  of  JVewark,  c.  "  Abounds  near  New- 
ark, New  Jersey;  an  excellent  winter  apple,  of  a 
greenish  colour  outside,  rich  saccharine  taste,  yel- 
low substance,  and  of  a  higher  flavour  than  the 
Newton  pippin.  It  is  so  abundant  in  juice,  that  a 
barrel  of  cider  has  been  made  from  seven  bushels  ; 
but  the  cider  is  not  of  the  first  quality.  It  is  said 
to  have  been  imported  from  France."  (Mease.) 

40.  Maidews  blush.  "  This  is  an  apple  of  large 
size,  and  great  beauty  ;  exhibiting  a  lively  contrast 
— a  yellow  ground,  with  a  bright  red  cheek ;  whence 
it  derives  its  name,  given  to  it  by  Samuel  Allison, 
esquire,  late  of  Burlington,  who  first  brought  it  into 
notice:  the  form  is  flat ;  the  skin  smooth;  the  flesli 
white,  tender  and  sprightly;  remarkably  light,  and 
fitted  for  drying,  for  which  it  is  preferred  to  any  ap- 
ple of  the  season;  the  stalk  is  short,  and  grows  in  a 
deep  hollow,  as  does  the  eye  :  the  fruit  ripens  in  Au- 
gust, and  continues  in  perfection  till  the  end  of  Sep- 
tember; and  is  fit  both  for  pies  and  the  table.  The 
tree  is  uncommonly  handsome,  as  well  as  vigorous 
in  its  growth;  forming  a  fine  open  and  spreading 
head:  it  bears  abundantly  and  constantly,  and  is  a 
very  popular  apple  in  the  Philadelphia  market." 
(Coxe.) 

41.  Michael  Henry.  "A  winter  fruit;  a  long 
green  apple,  much  admired  for  the  tabic,  in  Mon- 
mouth county.  Now  Jersoy.  It  is  a  sweet,  juicv, 
sprightly  and  well  flavoured  apple." 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  131 

42.  Monstrous  pippin,  or  American  gloria  mundi. 
"  It  originated  on  the  farm  of  Mr.  CrooKs,  near  Red 
Hook,  in  New  York.  It  is  of  a  yellow  colour,  when 
ripe,  and  resembles  in  flavour  the  fall  pippin,  or  pip- 
lin.  It  will  keep  from  November  till  March.  The 
fruit  of  the  original  tree  weighed  twenty-seven 
ounces."     (Mease.) 

43.  Morgan  apple.  "  Ripe  in  October.  So  nam- 
ed bj  Samuel  Coles,  of  Moorstown,  New  Jersey; 
as  it  came  from  the  late  I.  Morgan.  A  pleasant 
eating  apple  ;  will  keep  till  May.  A  great  bearer." 
(Mease.) 

44.  J\*ewark  king  apple.  "  Is  a  very  large  red 
fruit;  ripens  in  October,  and,  when  mellow,  has  a 
very  pleasant  taste,  and  is  generally  used  as  a  win- 
ter apple  about  Newark,  New  Jersey,  though  it 
does  not  keep  so  well  as  some  others." 

45.  JVo7isuck.  This  is  a  fine  red  apple,  having 
an  agreeable  flavour;  will  keep  sound  till  late  in 
the  spring,  and  is  much  esteemed  in  Massachusetts, 
for  its  good  properties. 

46.  JYursery  apple.  "  Is  the  size  of  the  Harrison 
apple.  When  hrst  ripe  it  is  of  a  greenish  colour, 
but  in  the  latter  part  of  the  winter,  it  turns  yellow. 
It  is  frequently  kept  until  June  and  July,  and  has 
been  kept  sound  until  September.  It  originated  in 
a  nursery  of  Jos.  Baldwin,  at  Cranetown,  New  Jer- 
sey."     (Mease.) 

47.  Pearmain,  c.  The  winter  pearmain  is  aipong 
the  first  cultivated  apples  by  the  fathers  of  the  old 
Plymouth  colony,  and  is,  undoubtedly,  of  English 
descent.  Many  trees  of  this  kind  are  now  suppos- 
ed to  be  more  than  one  hundred  years  old,  and 
grafted  trees  from  them  produce  the  genuine  fruit 
in  great  perfection.  The  tree  is  tall  and  upright, 
forming  a  handsome  regular  top:  it  is  hardy,  and 
will  flourish  in  a  light  soil.  It  is  not  an  early  bear- 
er, but  when  attained  to  about  twelve  years,  from 
having  been  grafted,  it  produces  more  abundantly 


132  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

and  uniformly  than  any  other  kind  within  our  know- 
ledge. Tiie  fruit  is  scarcely  excelled  as  a  table  ap- 
ple, or  for  cookery ;  and  the  cider,  made  from  it,  is 
said  to  be  inferiour  to  none.  The  apple  is  of  a 
moderate  size ;  fair  and  smooth ;  of  a  reddish  co- 
lour, interspersed  with  green  and  yellow^;  the  flesh 
a  rich  yellow ;  the  flavour  slightly  aromatick,  and 
agreeable.  There  are  two  or  three  varieties  of 
this  apple,  but  rather  of  an  inferiour  quality. 

48.  Pennock^s  red  winter.  A  large,  fair,  pleasant, 
spicy  apple ;  of  an  oval,  and  somewhat  flat  form ; 
of  a  reddish  colour.  It  originally  came  from  Jos. 
Pennock,  of  Springfield  township,  Delaware  county. 
The  tree  grows  large,  and  is  very  handsome ;  a 
great  bearer,  and  the  fruit  is  in  great  repute  in  the 
Philadelphia  market. 

49.  Priestly.  "Keeps  from  December  to  April; 
originally  cultivated  in  Buck's  county,  Pennsylvania. 
A  large,  long,  juicy  fruit,  and  of  a  spicy  flavour;  co- 
lour red.  This  tree  grows  very  straight,  and  is  of 
a  handsome  shape."    -(Mease.) 

50.  Poveshon,  c  "  Is  a  small  red  apple ;  ripe 
about  the  latter  end  of  September;  of  a  pleasant  fla- 
vour, and  makes  good  early  cider;  for  which  purpose 
it  is  generally  used  about  Newark,  New  Jersey." 
(Mease.) 

51.  Pound  apple.  "This  is  a  large  fair  apple, 
very  showy;  the  form  is  flat;  the  stalk  short,  and 
planted  in  an  indented  cavity;  the  skin  is  smooth, 
a  pale  yellow,  inclining  to  a  green,  streaked  with  a 
lively  red  ;  the  flesh  of  a  yellowish  cast,  mixed  with 
a  small  portion  of  green;  juicy  and  sprightly;  well 
fitted  for  cooking ;  it  ripens  in  October,  and  keeps 
for  several  montlis  :  the  tree  is  large,  vigorous  and 
spreading."     (Coxc.) 

52.  Quince  apph.  "The  tree  is  of  large  and  vi- 
gorous growth  ;  the  size  of  the  apple  is  large  ;  the 
shape  flat ;  the  skin,  when  fully  ripe,  is  yellow  ;  the 
flesh  rich,  yellow  and  juicy  :  in  appearance,  it  some- 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  133 

what  resembles  a  large  yellow  Newton  pippin.  It 
came  originally  from  the  state  of  New  York.  Ripens 
in  November."     (Coxe.) 

53.  Queen  apple.  (Summer  queen.)  "  The  sum^ 
mer  queen  is  an  apple  of  the  finest  quality,  and  its 
appearance  is  uncommonly  beautiful.  The  size  is 
large  ;  the  skin  has  a  fine,  rich,  yellow  ground,  mix- 
ed with  red,  handsomely  striped  and  clouded,  some- 
times in  a  proportion  greater  than  the  yellow ;  the 
blossom  end  is  much  pointed,  and  full  of  little  fur- 
rows and  protuberances ;  the  stalk  is  long,  and 
planted  in  a  deep  cavity,  with  projections  of  the 
flesh  around  the  stalk,  like  the  Roman  stem;  the 
flesh  is  rich,  yellow,  and  highly  scented ;  equally 
suited  for  eating  and  stewing.  It  is  not  fully  ripe 
until  the  beginning  of  August,  but  can  be  used  for 
stewing  long  before  that  time  :  the  tree  is  of  a  very 
luxuriant  growth,  with  large  leaves,  and  hanging 
boughs :  it  is  a  great  and  constant  bearer :  it  is 
known  by  the  name  of  sweets  harvest,  in  many 
parts  of  New  Jersey."     (Coxe.) 

54.  Rariton  siveeting^  c.  "  Rich  flavour ;  egg- 
shaped  ;  makes  good  cider,  which  keeps  well  ; 
brought  from  Rariton,  by  Mr.  Ogden's  father." 
(Mease.) 

55.  Red  everlasting.  "  Ripe  in  November ;  its 
colour  deep  red  ;  it  is  a  small  sized  fruit,  of  tolera- 
ble flavour;  and  keeps  well  till  June  or  July,  but 
grows  mealy  and  dry."     (Mease.) 

56.  Redling.  "  Was  brought,  about  sixty  years 
since,  from  Pennsylvania  to  New  Jersey,  by  the 
mother  of  Mr.  Jos.  Cooper,  who  thinks  it  is  the  best 
keeping  apple  now  known.  The  colour  is  of  a  light, 
shining  red,  and  of  very  pleasant  smell  and  taste. 
Thev  hang  on  well,  being  suspended  at  the  end  of 
a  twig.  It  somewhat  resembles  the  Priestly  apple." 
(Mease.) 

57.  Red  streakj  c.  "  Originally  from  England  ; 
a  winter  fruit;  keeps  well,  but  shrinks:   of  a  plea- 


134  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

sant  flavour;  red  with  spots,  and  generally  has  a 
russet  coloured  teat  on  the  lower  side.  The  tree 
grows  straight.  When  used  for  pies,  they  need  not 
be  pared.  The  cider  from  this  apple  is  much  ad- 
mired."    (Mease.) 

58.  Ramho.  From  Delaware ;  a  fine  apple,  of 
the  size  of  the  vandevere  ;  same  shape,  and  a  high- 
ly valued  fruit. 

.59.  Roane's  white  crab,  c.  "This  apple  I  procur- 
ed from  colonel  John  Roane,  oi'  Virginia :  the  ori- 
ginal tree  was  discovered  a  wilding  on  his  estate, 
in  the  year  1790.  In  growth,  it  resembles  the 
Hewes  crab ;  the  leaves  being  very  delicate,  the 
wood  hard,  and  the  size  of  the  tree  small :  it  is  an 
early  and  great  bearer  every  second  year:  tlie  ap- 
]>le  is  very  small,  not  larger  than  the  Hewes  crab; 
the  form  is  round;  the  stalk  thin;  the  skin  yellow, 
with  a  small  portion  of  russet  about  the  stem,  ai.d 
spots  of  red  scattered  over  it  :  the  flesh  is  rich,  dry, 
and  of  a  musky  sweetness;  rough  to  the  taste,  from 
its  astringent  and  fibrous  properties,  and  leaving  the 
pomace  undissolved,  afier  pressing  :  the  liquor  is 
remarkably  strong  ;  of  a  sirupy  consistence  when 
first  made,  but  becoming  singularly  bright  by  pro- 
per fermentation  and  racking.  It  will  keep  per- 
fectly sweet,  in  casks  well  bunged,  and  placed  in  a 
cool  cellar,  through  our  summer  months:  the  fruit 
ripens  in  September  and  October,  and  may  be  kept 
without  rotting,  for  late  cider."     (Coxe.) 

(30.  Rhode  Island  greening.  This  is  a  fine  large 
fair  fruit ;  of  a  green  colour,  when  first  gathered, 
and  turns  yellow  towards  spring.  The  flesh  is  rich, 
juicy,  tender  and  very  yellow.  It  is  a  most  excel- 
lent apple  for  the  table,  in  the  fii'st  part  of  win- 
ter, and  will  keep  and  retain  its  flavour  till  March. 
The  tree  grows  rapidly,  spreading  its  luxuriant 
branches  very  extensively,  and  inclining  towards  the 
i'arth.  It  is  doubtful  whether  this  is  the  same,  or 
a  diiVerent  varietV  from  the  Jersey  greening. 


OP    FRUIT   TREES.  135 

61.  Roman  stem.  "This  apple  was  first  propa- 
gated in  the  neighbourhood  of  Burlington,  New  Jer- 
sey, where  the  original  tree  is  now  standing.  It  is 
an  excellent  early  winter  fruit,  much  admired  for 
its  tender,  mild,  juicy  and  agreeable  properties :  the 
size  is  small ;  the  form  round ;  the  stalk  of  singular 
appearance,  from  a  fleshy  protuberance  of  the  neigh- 
bouring part,  resembhng  an  aquiline  nose;  whence 
the  apple  derives  its  name :  the  skin  is  rough ;  the 
colour  yellow,  with  black  clouds  and  spots :  the 
tree  is  of  handsome  and  vigorous  growth,  with  long 
shoots,  and  great  fruitfulness  :  it  is  in  every  respect 
deserving  of  extensive  cultivation."     (Coxe.) 

62.  Royal  pearmain,  c.  "  Is  a  fine  large  apple ; 
rather  flat  in  its  form ;  of  a  rich  russet  colour,  blend- 
ed with  red,  faintly  streaked,  and  dotted  with  spots 
of  russet.  The  skin  is  rough,  the  flesh  a  rich  yel- 
low, of  a  very  sprightly  taste,  and  firm  in  its  tex- 
ture  :  when  first  gathered,  rather  tart,  but  becomes 
both  sweet  and  tender  by  keeping:  it  is  a  good  ta- 
ble api  le,  and  makes  excellent  cider :  the  size  that 
of  a  vandevere  :  it  ripens  in  October,  and  will  keep 
till  February  and  March  :  it  is  highly  esteemed  by 
the  planters  in  Virginia,  whence  I  procured  il,  from: 
the  neighbourhood  of  Richmond:  the  tree  grows 
tall  and  straight,  with  a  luxuriant  foliage,  and  regu- 
lar form,  and  is  a  most  abundant  and  uniform  bear- 
er. This  apple  is  known  in  Pennsylvania,  and  much 
cultivated,  under  the  name  of  the  Merrit's  pear- 
main."     (Coxe.) 

63.  Royal  russet,  or  leather  coat.  "  This  is  ao 
apple  of  moderate  size,  and  of  a  flat  form :  whert 
ripe,  the  side  next  the  sun  is  a  rich  red,  intermixed 
with  russet,  with  spots  of  white  :  the  flesh  is  well 
flavoured,  sprightly  and  tender;  the  stem  short  and 
thick,  with  small  swellings  in  the  surrounding  parts  : 
it  is  a  fine  cooking  apple  ;  keeps  well ;  and  bears 
abundantly.  It  was  imported  from  England,  where 
it  is  highlv  esteemed  as  a  valuable  wit)ter  apple." 
CCoxe.) 


136  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

64.  Roxhury  riisseting,  c.  This  is  one  of  the 
best  known,  and  most  valuable  fruits  in  Massachu- 
setts. The  apple  is  rather  flat,  and  the  colour  a 
yellowish  russet:  it  is  not  fit  to  eat  till  February, 
and  is  very  easily  preserved  till  June,  when  its 
juice  and  flavour  are  peculiarly  pleasant.  The 
trees  are  the  most  constant  to  bear,  and  seldom 
bear  so  full  as  to  break  the  limbs  ;  and  the  fruit  is 
excellent  for  cider;  and  for  the  table,  late  in  the 
spring.  But  the  trees  require  a  moist  situation, 
and  are  less  likely  to  thrive  well  in  a  dry  soil,  than 
any  other  kind  of  apple.  They  require  also  more 
manuring  and  care  than  most  others,  or  the  fruit 
will  be  very  ordinary. 

65.  Ruckman''s  pearmain.,  or  golden  pearmain^  c. 
"  Called  in  New  York  and  East  Jersey,  the  Ruck- 
man's  or  Dutch  pearmain ;  and  in  other  places,  the 
red  russet ;  is  a  most  valuable  apple  for  cider,  and 
for  family  use:  the  size  is  middling;  the  form  ra- 
ther flat ;  the  skin  rough,  with  a  large  portion  of 
bright  russet,  mingled  with  red,  towards  the  sun, 
when  fully  ripe :  the  flesh  is  rich,  tender,  and 
rather  dry :  it  is  a  great  and  uniform  bearer :  the 
tree  grows  luxuriantly,  with  strong  shoots,  and  a 
close,  compact  head  :  the  fruit  ripens  in  Novem- 
ber, and  keeps  well  through  the  winter."     (Coxe.) 

66.  Seek  no  further.  "  This  apple  is  a  native  of  one 
of  the  eastern  states :  it  is  a  large  fruit ;  of  round, 
but  oblong  form ;  the  skin  smooth,  of  a  yellowish 
green  colour;  the  flesh  yellow,  juicy,  rich  and  ten- 
der; an  agreeable  early  winter  apple.  The  tree 
bears  well;  the  trunk  straight  and  tall,  shooting 
into  branches  upwards,  in  a  handsome  and  regular 
form."  (Coxe.)  The  seek  no  further^  or  by  some 
called  ^zif^i/^No-er,  is  much  cultivated  at  Raynham, 
county  of  Bristol,  where  it  probably  originated. 
From  its  high  reputation,  it  is  now  extending,  by 
engraftraenls,  into  various  parts  of  Massachu- 
setts, 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  137 

67.  Spitszenburgh.  "  Keeps  from  November  to 
March.  There  are  three  sorts:  The  Esopus; 
Flushing ;  and  the  Newton.  The  first,  of  a  hght 
red  colour,  round  form,  pleasant  flavour,  and  slightly 
acid.  The  second  is  generally  lander,  and  of  a 
deeper  red  colour,  covered  with  small  white 
specks ;  its  form  is  flatter,  and  it  is  of  a  more  acid 
taste  than  the  first.  The  third  species  resembles 
the  second  in  taste  and  colour,  but  in  form  is 
much  flatter.  According  to  Mr.  S.  De  Witt, 
surveyor  general  of  New  York,  the  Spitszenburgh 
was  discovered  as  an  accidental  production,  in 
the  neighbourhood  of  the  city  of  Albany,  and  in  his 
opinion,  may  challenge  the  world  to  match  it. 
The  flavour  he  thinks  superiour  to  the  Newton 
pippin.  Mr.  Cooper  and  Mr.  Coles,  of  Moorstown, 
New  Jersey,  mentioned  another  kind,  called  the 
Cane  Spitszenburgh,  from  a  family  of  that  name 
near  Gloucester  Point,  New  Jersey,  and  which 
they  thought  superiour  to  the  kinds  mentioned 
above."  (Mease.) 

68.  Spice  apple.  "  Is  a  large  autumn  apple,  of 
an  aromatick  flavour,  very  tender,  and  good  for 
house  use,  but  will  not  keep  long.  It  appears  to 
he  peculiar  to  New  Jersey." 

69.  Styre,  c.  This  is  the  most  celebrated  and 
extensively  cultivated  cider  apple  in  England  ;  and 
is  also  a  good  eating  apple.  The  size  is  above 
middling;  the  colour  of  a  pale  yellowish  white  ; 
the  flesh  is  firm,  and  when  fully  ripe,  of  a  fine  fla- 
vour :  the  cider,  when  produced  from  a  ligiit,  rich 
soil,  is  rich,  highly-flavoured,  and  of  a  good  body ; 
its  price  in  England  is  frequently  fourfold  of  that  of 
common  sale  cider:  the  fruit  is  pale-rinded,  but 
produces  a  high-coloured  liquor.  The  tree  is  of  a 
singularly  beautiful  grov/th,  remarkably  besom- 
headed,  throwing  out  numerous  straight  Ijxarjant 
shoots,  growing  upwards  from  the  crown,  in  the 

18 


188  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

form  of  a  willow  pollard,  running  much  to  wood, 
and,  in  deep  soils,  growing  to  a  great  size  before  it 
becomes  fruitful.  It  suits  sandy  ground.  By  the 
end  of  September  it  is  ripe  in  England;  generally 
the  middle  of  October,  in  common  years,  the  time  of 
gathering.  By  Mr.  Knight's  experiment,  the  must 
outweighed  all  others,  except  that  of  a  new  varie- 
ty produced  by  mixing  the  Lalham  green  and  Sibe- 
rian crab.  Marshall  states,  that  nearly  one  third 
more  of  Sty  re  apples  is  required  to  produce  a 
barrel  of  cider,  compared  with  common  apples." 
(Coxe.) 

70.  Summer  pearmain.  "  This  is  one  of  the 
finest  fruits  of  the  season  ;  frequently  preferred  to 
a  fine  pear.  The  size  is  middling;  the  form  ob- 
long, uniformly  regular;  the  ends  both  deeply  in- 
dented ;  the  colour  in  the  shade  is  dull  red,  some- 
what streaked,  and  faintly  spotted  ;  in  the  sun  it  is 
frequently  of  a  lively  red,  blended  with  a  rich 
yellow  :  the  juice  is  abundant,  until  too  ripe  ;  the 
flesh  is  singularly  tender;  it  frequently  cracks 
open  on  the  tree,  and  bursts  from  its  own  weight, 
in  falling :  it  is  equally  adapted  to  the  table  and 
stewing,  and  is  probably  the  most  popular  apple  ol 
the  season,  which  commences  with  the  first  of 
August,  and  (it  being  very  free  from  rotting)  con- 
tinues through  that  and  the  following  montli. 
The  tree  is  of  a  moderate  size ;  the  head  very 
round  and  close :  it  grows  remarkably  well  on 
light  and  sandy  soils."  (Coxe.) 

71.  Swaar  apple.  Keeps  from  November  to 
March.  A  large,  yellow,  and  greenish  apple,  of 
good  flavour ;  much  admired  as  being  a  winter 
table  fruit,  of  superiour  excellence.  The  trees 
bear  largely. 

72.  Sweet  greening.  A  large,  handsome  apple, 
resembling  in  size  and  form,  the  Rhode  Island 
oreening.  Ripens  in  autumn,  and  possesses  the 
valuable  property  of  retaining  its  soundness  and  fla- 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  139 

vour  till  the  middle  of  June.  It  is  an  excellent  ap 
pie  for  baking,  and  deserves  to  be  more  extensively 
cultivated.  Its  origin  is  uncertain,  and  it  is  doubt- 
ful whether  this  fine  fruit  is  known  out  of  the  old 
Plymouth  colony. 

73.  Tolman  sweeting.  I  have  not  been  able 
to  trace  to  its  origin  this  justly  admired  apple.  In 
Dartmouth,  county  of  Bristol,  where  it  is  best 
known,  it  is  held  in  much  estimation  for  family 
use  during  the  autumn,  and  through  the  winter. 
The  fruit  is  above  the  middle  size,  yellow,  with  a 
small  bluish  stripe  on  one  side :  it  is  juicy,  and  the 
flavour  pleasant. 

74.  Vandevere^  c.  "  Formerly  called  stalcubs. 
A  well  known  and  most  excellent  eating  fruit  ; 
pleasant,  and  sprightly  acid,  joined  with  a  sweetish 
taste,  and  much  preferred  for  pies  and  sauces. 
Unfortunately  the  trees  have  greatly  failed  of  late. 
On  a  rich  heavy  soil,  they  are  subject  to  the  bitter 
rot ;  on  a  light  soil,  not  so  much  sa  Mr.  Riley, 
of  Marcus  Hook,  says,  this  apple  originally  came 
from  Wilmington,  Delaware,  and  was  called  after  a 
farmer  who  raised  it."  (Mease.) 

75.  Vanwmkle,  or  grannhvinkle^  c.  "  Is  a  large, 
red,  and  very  sweet  apple;  rich  taste,  and  fine 
flavour :  ripe  about  the  middle  of  October,  when  the 
fruit  falls,  and  decays  so  rapidly  that  it  is  difficult  to 
preserve  the  apple  till  the  proper  time  for  making 
first  rate  cider.  These  apples  answer  best,  when 
mixed  with  half  their  quantity  of  the  Harrison  ap- 
ple. Cider  made  from  this  apple  alone,  resembles 
unfermented  metheglin,  and  must  remain  in  the 
barrel  until  the  next  summer,  when  it  will  fine. 
The  tree  originated  in  the  orchard  of  Thomas 
Williams,  deceased,  according  to  Mr.  Hillyes,  of 
Orange ;  but  Mr.  John  Ogden,  of  Newark,  says, 
he  was  told  the  first  graft  was  taken  from  a  tree 
"belonging  to  an  old  lady,  Mrs.  Van  Winkle  Pove- 
shon."  (Mease.) 


140  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

76.  Wine  apple,  c.  "  An  uncommonly  large,  fair, 
handsome,  red  apple.  The  form  is  round ;  flat  at 
the  ends  :  the  skin  is  a  lively  red,  streaked  and  spot- 
ted with  a  small  portion  of  yellow ;  the  stalk  end 
frequently  of  a  russet  colour;  both  ends  deeply  in- 
dented ;  the  stalk  very  short :  the  taste  is  rich  and 
pleasant ;  an  admired  table  fruit,  and  excellent  for 
cooking,  as  well  as  for  cider :  it  ripens  in  October, 
and  keeps  well  through  the  fall  and  winter.  The 
tree  is  uncommonly  large  and  handsome;  the  leaves 
small ;  it  bears  abundantly ;  from  its  spreading 
form  it  does  not  require  much  trimming:  it  is  pro- 
bably as  saleable  an  apple  as  any  sold  m  the  Phi- 
ladelphia market.  In  the  state  and  county  of 
Delaware,  it  is  called  the  Hays  winter ;  and  in  one 
place  in  New  Jersey,  the  fine  winter,  and  large 
winter  red.  I  have  been  informed,  that  the  origi- 
nal cultivator  of  this  apple  made  admirable  cider, 
by  throwing  about  one  shovel  full  of  sandy  loam 
into  a  pressing,  which  had  an  effect  in  lessening  the 
acidity,  and  made  a  clear,  sweet  liquor,  by  this  no- 
vel mode  of  fining."   (Coxe.) 

77.  Wine  sap,  c.  "  An  autumn  fruit,  of  a  deep 
red  colour,  and  sweet,  but  not  sprightly  taste; 
makes  excellent  cider,  which  is  preferred  by  some 
to  that  of  the  red  streak,  cultivated  by  Samuel 
Coles,  of  Moorstown,  New  Jersey." 

78.  Yellow  sweeting,  c.  "  A  large,  yellow,  sweet 
apple  ;  will  keep  till  harvest ;  makes  good  cider, 
and  answers  for  family  use.  Mr.  J.  Ogden's  father 
took  the  scion  from  an  old  tree  of  J.  Johnston's,  at 
Connecticut  farms,  fifty  years  ago."  (Mease.) 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  141 


CIDER. 


I  HAVE  now  the  satisfaction  of  presenting  the  most 
ample  and  approved  rules  and  directions  relative  to 
the  important  art  of  manufacturing  and  preserving 
that  valuable  and  salubrious  beverage,  the  produce 
of  our  orchards.  The  importance  of  the  subject 
will  justify  the  extent  and  minuteness  of  detail 
which  occupy  the  following  pages,  and  it  is  hoped 
the  reader  will  find  them,  in  the  perusal,  interest- 
ing and  profitable. 

"  The  value  of  fruits,  for  the  manufacture  of  cider, 
may  be  judged  of  from  the  specifick  gravity  of  their 
expressed  juices.  The  best  cider  and  perry  are 
made  from  those  apples  and  pears  that  afford  the 
densest  juices ;  and  a  comparison  between  different 
fruits  may  be  made  with  tolerable  accuracy,  by 
plunging  them  together  into  a  saturated  solution  of 
salt,  or  a  strong  solution  of  sugar :  those  that  sink 
deepest,  will  afford  the  richest  juice." 

The  first  authority  of  which  I  avail  myself,  is  to 
be  found  in  papers  on  agriculture,  by  the  Massachu- 
setts society  for  promoting  agriculture,  vol.  i. 

"OF  MAKING  AND  MANAGING  CIDER. 

"From  the  apple,  in  our  country,  we  obtain  a 
beverage  highly  useful.  The  wines  of  other  coun- 
tries do  not  differ  more  in  quality,  than  the  cider  of 
ours.  And  much  of  this  difference  arises  from  im- 
j)roper  management,  either  in  grinding  the  apples, 
or,  what  is  more  common,  putting  the  must  or  juice 
into  foul  casks,  and  neglecting  or  mismanaging  it 
while  fermenting.  Mr.  Marshall  asserts,  that  a 
gentleman  in  Herefordshire,  (England,)  Mr.  Bella- 
my, produces  cider  from  an  apple  called  the  Hagloe 


142  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENI' 

crab,  which,  for  richness,  flavour  and  price  on  the? 
spot,  exceeds  perhaps  every  other  fruit  hquor,  which 
nature  or  art  have  produced.  He  has  been  offered 
sixty  guineas  for  a  hogshead  of  one  hundred  and  ten 
gallons  of  this  liquor.  Thus  we  see  how  capable  the 
fruit  from  the  apple  tree  is  of  inaproveraent.  We 
are  favoured  with  the  observations  of  a  gentleman 
residing  near  Philadelphia,  on  the  making  and  fer- 
menting cider,  and  his  directions  to  preserve  the 
casks  that  have  been  used  for  cider.  He  begins 
thus :  '  It  would  be  to  little  purpose,  at  present,  to 
say  much  on  the  kinds  of  fruit  capable  of  yielding 
the  best  cider,  yet  it  may  be  proper  to  mention 
those  most  common  here,  and  give  them  a  place  ac- 
cording to  their  respective  merits.  The  sweet  rus- 
set, called  the  pair  apple,  is  unquestionably  the  rich- 
est fruit  we  have:  the  house  apple  stands  second: 
they  both  yield  very  sweet  must,  and  consequent- 
ly, specifically  heavier  than  that  of  any  other  apple. 
The  Newton  pippin  yields  its  must  free  from  the 
finer  pumice,  and,  although  not  so  rich,  from  that 
circumstance,  ferments  more  moderately,  and  is  soon- 
est fine  in  the  cask.  The  Spitszenburgh  and  pear- 
main  I  do  not  rank  among  the  cider  apples,  because 
they  seldom  afford  a  must  that  will  bear  fermenta- 
tion, except  the  season  be  uncommonly  dry,  or  the 
trees  very  old.  The  largest  and  finest  fruit  grows 
on  voung  trees,  and  in  moist  seasons,  and  these  yield 
the  greatest  quantity  of  cider.  Old  trees  and  dry 
seasons  afford  a  smaller  fruit,  highly  flavoured,  and 
less  juicy.  The  vandevere  is  little  better  than  good 
watir  cider.  If  it  be  fermented,  it  very  soon  be- 
comes acid,  and  if  not  fermented,  becomes  ropy. 
The  red  streak,  the  cockagee,  and  the  royal  wilding, 
so  famous  in  England  and  Ireland,  are  not  known 
here,  but  the  Virginia  crab  well  enough  supplies 
the  place  of  them  all.  This  apple  deserves  every 
possible  attention,  as  its  must  is  less  disposed,  from 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  143 

its  great  acidity,  to  rise  too  high  in  fermentation, 
than  that  of  any  apple  known  here.  Were  there 
no  other  advantages,  this  simple  one  would  render 
it  exceedingly  valuable  to  the  common  farmer,  who 
will  be  hardly  brought  to  pay  attention  to  the  nice 
operation  of  fermenting  the  sweeter  fruits ;  but  it 
has  almost  every  other  good  property  of  a  cider  apple. 
The  trees  bear  abundantly,  the  fruit  ripens  late,  and 
is  free  from  rot  of  any  kind ;  the  fruit  is  small  and 
hard,  and  therefore  bears  the  fall  from  the  tree 
without  bruising.  It  grinds  small,  and  the  pulp  is 
remarkably  tough,  yet  parts  with  its  juice  readily; 
hence  the  must  runs  from  the  press  very  fine.  It 
would  be  going  beyond  my  present  object,  to  say 
much  more  of  this  apple;  yet  I  cannot  forbear  ob- 
serving, that  being  acid,  it  will  bear  to  stand  in  the 
pumice  longer  than  any  sweeter  apple.  This  fact 
deserves  more  attention  than  is  commonly  given  to 
it;  and  if  the  time  and  occasion  would  admit,  I  should 
indulge  myself  in  speaking  largely  on  it.' 

"  As  the  inquiry  is  how  to  make  the  best  cider, 
there  need  not  any  thing  be  said  of  imperfect  fruit, 
or  that  which  falls  from  the  tree  early  in  the  sea- 
son, as  they  cannot  be  applied  to  this  purpose  ;  the 
September  gale  beating  down  such  great  quantities 
of  apples,  tempts  the  farmer  to  use  them  with  those 
that  continued  longer  on  the  tree.  But  where  this 
gale  happens  early,  the  effects  are  fatal  to  the  ci- 
der:  for,  if  they  are  made  up  immediately,  the  fer- 
mentation rises  too  high,  in  consequence  of  the  too 
great  degree  of  heat  in  the  air;  and  this  evil  is  in- 
creased by  the  imperfect  and  great  quantity  of  juice 
contained  in  the  fruit ;  if  they  remain  unground, 
they  become  insipid,  especially  those  which  lay  on 
the  ground  under  the  trees ;  and  if  gathered  in 
heaps,  they  are  disposed  to  rot.  To  make  the  best 
cider,  you  must  have  sound  fruit,  gathered  late  in 
the  season,  in  dry  weather,  after  the  middle  of  Oc- 
tober, if  possible.     They  should  lay  in  large  heaps. 


144  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

covered  from  the  dews  and  rain,  about  fourteen 
days ;  in  which  they  heat,  and  throw  off  a  great 
proportion  of  their  indigested  and  insipid  water,  and 
ripen  more  uniformly  than  while  on  the  tree.  They 
must  not  be  ground  while  they  are  wet,  either  from 
the  rain,  the  dew,  or  from  the  moisture  thrown  out 
by  the  heat  produced  by  their  laying  together. 
The  finer  the  apple  is  ground,  the  more  it  will 
yield.  If  the  mill  is  well  fitted,  it  crushes  the  seed, 
and  gives  a  peculiai*  aromatick  bitter  to  the  must, 
which  becomes  more  and  more  distinguishable  as 
the  cider  is  longer  kept.  Some  prefer  this  flavour; 
others  dislike  it,  not  distinguishing  it  from  the  bit- 
ter of  the  rotten  apples,  although  very  different  from 
that  pungent  bitter,  both  in  taste  on  the  palate,  and 
effects  in  the  stomach.  If  straw  is  used  in  forming 
the  cheese  for  the  press  (cloth  made  of  hair  is  best, 
but  very  expensive)  it  must  be  clean  from  rust ;  for 
there  is  no  liquor  which  more  readily  imbibes  and 
betrays  offensive  tastes  than  cider.  Too  hard  press- 
ing on  the  cheese,  before  it  is  sufficiently  closed, 
presses  out  the  pulp  with  the  must,  and  it  is  in  all 
cases  necessary  to  return  the  first  running  on  to  the 
cheese,  until  you  perceive  it  free  from  pulp.  If 
you  choose  a  pale  cider,  the  pumice  must  be  press- 
ed as  soon  as  possible  from  the  mill:  the  colour  is 
raised  by  exposing  it  longer,  and  in  greater  surfaces 
to  the  air.  The  aptness  in  cider  to  imbibe  foreign 
tastes,  renders  an  exact  attention  to  your  vessels  of 
great  importance.  New  vessels,  made  of  seasoned 
oak,  do  very  Avell ;  but  those  that  have  been  used 
are  better,  provided  they  be  kept  siveet  and  clean. 
To  effect  this,  when  a  cask  is  empty,  rinse  it  with 
cold  water  immediately,  otherwise  the  lees  will  sour, 
and  fix  an  acid  that  can  hardly  be  removed ;  and  if 
long  continued,  dries  on  the  staves  so  hard  as  to  re- 
quire much  labour  in  scrubbing  it  off:  in  this  case, 
it  should  be  white-washed  with  lime,  and  after  a 
few  days  washed  again  ;  when  it  is  rinsed  perjectl^ 


OF   FRUIT   TREES.  145 

-cfe««  with  cold  water,  pour  into  a  hogshead  at  least 
six  gallons  of  boiling  water.  Roll  and  shake  the 
water  to  every  part  of  the  cask,  so  as  to  heat  it  on 
all  sides.  Then  pour  out  the  water,  and  lay  your 
cask  exactly  bung-hole  downwards,  the  water  run- 
ning clear  and  entirely  off;  the  heat  in  the  cask  will 
dry  it  perfectly.  In  this  state,  bung  it  up  as  care- 
fully as  if  filled  with  your  choicest  liquors,  and  it  will 
remain  perfectly  sweet,  and  fit  for  use  in  the  fol- 
lowing season.  It  is  best,  however,  to  inspect  each 
cask  before  you  fill  it.  This  is  done  by  fixing  a 
candle  to  a  wire  three  feet  long,  and  letting  down 
the  candle  through  the  bung-hole  into  the  cask; 
you  can  then  see  every  part  of  it  on  the  inside  as 
distinctly  as  on  the  outside.  If  they  are  clean,  it  is 
16^5^  not  to  rinse  them  with  water.  It  may  appear 
singular  to  you  that  so  much  is  said  on  a  case  that 
is  plain  to  every  one  ;  but  believe  me,  you  may  take 
ten  times  the  trouble  in  another  way,  and  not  effec- 
tually cleanse  your  vessels  ;  and  unless  they  are  per- 
fectly sweet,,  it  is  impossible  to  have  good  cider, 
The  must,  or  juice  of  the  apple,  being  obtained,  the 
first  object  is  to  clear  it  of  pumice :  the  second,  to 
produce  a  fermentation  to  your  palate  and  purpose- 
"  The  most  expeditious  mode  of  doing  the  first 
in  the  great  way,  is  by  putting  the  must  in  large 
open  vessels,  there  to  stand  until  the  first  appear- 
ance of  fermentation.*  This  comes  on  sooner  or 
later,  from  circumstances  too  various  for  our  present 
consideration  at  large.  It  may  serve  the  purpose  to 
consider  the  operation,  as  dependent  on  the  degree 
of  heat  in  the  air  at  the  time :  perhaps  sixty  hours 
is  long  enough  to  be  wished  for.  During  that  time 
the  heaviest  of  the  pulp  sinks  to  the  bottom;  the 

*  Hogsheads,  or  even  barrels,  answer  very  well  with  a  head 
out,  where  there  are  plenty  of  casks  ;  but  it  is  as  well  done  in 
the  casks  you  intend  to  ferment  in,  provided  you  attend  to  the 
first  appearance  of  fermentation  at  the  bunghole,  and  remove  the 
pulp  entirely  out  of  the  cask. 

19 


146  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

larger  and  lighter  parts  rise  to  the  surface,  where  it 
remains  until  the  fermentation  becrins;  but  the  fer- 
mentation  would  involve  great  part  of  the  pulp,  botli 
from  above  and  below,  into  the  body  of  the  liquor,, 
and  increase  the  fermentation  beyond  our  control. 
It  must  therefore  be  removed  before  this  effect  be 
produced.  Soon  after  the  fermentation  begins,  the 
covering  on  the  top  of  the  must  cracks  and  separates, 
when  there  is  not  a  moment  to  be  lost  before  y9U 
draw  It  into  your  casks,  leaving  the  pulp  behind. 
In  this  cask  it  undergoes  the  first  of  the  fermenta- 
tion for  eight  or  ten  days;  but  before  this  most 
difficult  part  of  the  art  of  making  the  best  cider  can 
be  well  understood,  there  are  so  many  points  to  be 
considered  of,  that  I  have  always  hesitated  to  give 
my  opinion  of  it,  from  a  certainty  that  the  subject 
would  become  tedious  beyond  sufferance.  There 
are,  however,  a  few  obvious  principles  of  great  im- 
portance,  which  may  be  borne  with. 

"  Cider  requires  a  very  gentle  fermentation,  and 
ought  to  be  confined  between  forty-four  and  forty- 
eight  degrees  of  heat  (by  Fahrenheit's  thermome- 
ter.) Musts,  of  all  kinds,  increase  their  heat  by  fer- 
mentation. Liquors,  of  all  kinds,  will  not  be  colder 
than  the  air  in  which  they  stand.  It  is  easy  to 
comprehend,  if  these  are  fiicts,  the  impossibility  of 
making  ^ood  cider,  when  the  medium  heat  of  the 
day  exceeds  forty-eight  degrees.  I  say  the  medium 
heat  of  the  day,  because  our  best  cellars  being  fifty 
degrees  of  heat  in  the  latter  end  of  October,  ren^ 
ders  them,  generally,  unfit  for  fermenting  cider,  and 
involves  a  necessity  of  having  your  first  fermentation 
above  ground,  where  the  heat  of  the  day  will  have 
its  effect.  Hence  the  known  fact  that  cider  fer- 
ments most  kmdly  in  tlie  shade,  on  the  north  side  of 
your  buildings,  wherever  the  cool  nights  of  the  fall 
reduce  the  medium  heat  of  the  day  below  forty- 
ciglit  degrees.  During  the  first  fermentation  above- 
mentioned,  attention  must   be  given   to  it,  that,  In 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  147 

case  of  rising  above  forty-eight  degrees,  it  should 
be  racked  off  early  in  the  morning,  (before  sunrise, 
if  the  weather  be  warm  for  the  season;)  this  rack- 
ing checks  the  increase  of  heat  occasioned  by  the 
fermentation:  but  in  late  made  cider  there  is  sel- 
dom a  necessity  of  racking  in  less  than  eight  or  ten 
days;  at  which  time  there  will  be  a  considerable 
quantity  of  lees  fallen  to  the  bottom  of  the  cask, 
from  Avhich  the  cider  should  now  be  removed. 

"  If  the  air  in  the  cellar  be  fallen  to  forty-six  de- 
grees, or  below,  you  may  place  the  cider  in  it,  leav- 
ing, however,  the  windows  and  doors  open  in  the 
night,  until  the  air  becomes  as  low  as  forty  degrees, 
(the  heat,  in  my  judgment,  best  for  cider  during  the 
winter,  provided  it  could  be  had  without  artificial 
heat,  which  is  too  difficult  to  manage,  to  be  applied 
in  cellars.) 

"  The  earlier  made  cider,  checked  in  its  fermen- 
tation by  water  from  time  to  time,  becomes  soon 
fine,  and  is  a  very  pleasant  drink.  That  made  later, 
and  checked  in  the  same  manner,  with  the  propor- 
tion of  one  fourth  water,  is  soonest  fine,  and,  during 
the  winter,  is  not  inferiour  to  the  best  cider  unmix- 
ed. 

"  During  the  whole  time  of  fermentation  the  casks 
must  be  kept  full,  so  that  the  yeast,  pulp  gas,  or 
whatever  you  please  to  call  that  matter  which  rises 
ui  fermentation,  may  be  thrown  out  of  the  cask,  and 
not  return  into  the  liquor:  for  if  it  does,  it  operates 
as  yeast,  renews  the  fermentation,  and  will  destroy 
the  cider. 

'•  In  about  five  weeks  after  the  first  racking,  it 
should  be  again  racked,  taking  care  to  draw  off 
none  of  the  lees.  The  bungs  may  be  left  out  a 
month  longer  without  any  ill  consequence,  or  at  most 
laid  lightly  on  the  bung-hole,  when  it  may  be  pro- 
per, if  the  fermentation  is  ended,  to  bung  it  down ; 
in  a  few  weeks  it  will  be  fine  spontaneously,  provid- 
ed the  fermentation  has  been  Avell  conducted.     li 


148  CULTURE    AN©    MANAGEMENT 

any  part  of  the  process  lias  been  injudicious,  or  un* 
avoidably  wrong,  and  the  cider  be  not  fine  by  the 
20th  or  25th  of  February,  it  should  be  forced 
with  isinglass.  But  let  me  warn  you  not  to  at- 
tempt fining  it  after  the  20th  of  March,  unless  your 
cellar  be  uncommonly  secured  from  air.  For  the 
spring  will  as  certainly  produce  a  motion  in  your 
cider,  as  blossoms  on  the  trees;  at  which  time  glu- 
tinous finings,  retaining  the  air  produced  or  separat- 
by  this  new  fermentation,  will  be  either  retained 
from  falling  down  in  the  cask,  or  borne  to  the  sur- 
face of  the  liquor.  Three  staples  of  isinglass,  dis- 
lolved  in  cider,  is  sufficient  for  a  hogshead.  It 
should  be  pulled  into  small  pieces,  and  covered  with 
cider  in  an  earthen  vessel,  adding  a  quart  of  cider 
to  it  every  six  hours,  till  it  is  dissolved;  stirring  it 
frequently.  When  dissolved,  which  it  will  be  in 
two  or  three  days,  strain  it  through^  coarse  cloth; 
add  a  gallon  or  two  of  cider,  ancl  pour  it  into  the 
cask,  stirring  the  whole  together  with  a  stick. 
Leave  the  bung  out;  it  will  generally  fine  in  four  or 
five  days.  It  must  not  remain  above  ten  or  twelve 
days  at  most  on  the  finings ;  if  you  do  not  bottle  it, 
it  must  be  racked  again  into  other  casks ;  the  bot- 
tles must  be  dry;  three  drops  of  water  will  destroy 
a  bottle  of  cider,  after  it  has  been  well  fermented, 
more  effectually  than  a  pint  will  before  it  is  fer- 
mented. 

"  In  corking  cider,  or  other  weak  liquors,  no  wa- 
ter should  touch  the  corks ;  dip  them  in  cider  the 
moment  in  which  you  drive  them;  they  will  drive 
the  easier  for  this.  If  cider  is  to  be  kept  in  casks 
after  May,  early  in  the  spring  cover  the  bungs  with 
rosin,  or  cement  of  some  kind :  to  do  this,  open  a 
spile  hole  while  the  cement  is  laid  on;  otherwise 
no  art  can  cover  the  bung  effectually :  the  air  from 
within  will  force  up  the  cement  through  the  small- 
est passage,  and  disappoint  a  thousand  attempts  to 
fill  it  up :   when  covered,  and  the  cemelit  cooled^ 


OP   FRUIT    TRBfiSL  149 

make  the  cask  tight  by  driving  an  oaken  spile  into 
the  hole.  Inferiour  cider,  for  the  harvest  field,  is 
kept  by  adding  a  gallon  of  cider  brandy  to  a  barrel. 
The  method  I  have  directed  above,  produces  a  fine 
sweet  cider,  retaining  the  taste  of  the  apple.  More 
frequent  racking  weakens  the  body  and  preserves 
the  sweetness;  fewer  rackings,  and  laying  long  oa 
the  lees,  renders  it  harsher  and  more  heady.  If 
cider  be  well  Jermented  in  due  time^  you  may  freeze 
it  down  to  any  strength ;  taking  care  to  draw  it  off 
before  a  thaw  comes  on.  If  cider  be  imperfectly 
fermented,  the  spring  produces  the  fermentation 
anew,  and  it  will  destroy  itself,  unless  preserved  by 
distilled  spirits,  or  by  brimstone,  which  last  is  too 
offensive  to  be  used." 

The  following  is  extracted  from  Willich's  Do- 
iiiestick  Encyclopedia. 

"  The  apples  should  remain  on  the  trees  till 
they  are  thoroughly  ripe,  when  they  ought  to  be 
gathered  with  the  hand,  in  dry  w^eather,  that  they 
may  be  protected  both  from  bruises  and  from  mois- 
ture. They  are  are  then  to  be  sorted,  according 
to  their  various  degrees  of  maturity,  and  laid  in 
separate  heaps,  in  order  to  sweat ;  in  consequence 
of  which  they  greatly  improve.  This  practice, 
however,  appears  to  be  useful  only  for  such  fruit 
as  is  not  perfectly  ripe,  though  some  recommend  it 
as  being  proper  for  all  apples.  The  duration  of 
the  time  of  sweating  may  be  determined  by  the 
flavour  of  the  fruit,  as  different  kinds  require  va- 
rious lengths  of  time;  namely,  from  eight  or  ten 
days  to  six  weeks.  The  harsher  and  more  crude 
the  apples  are,  the  longer  it  is  necessary  that  they 
should  remain  in  a  sweating  state,  and  not  only  be 
well  dried,  but  the  rotten  parts  carefully  pared, 
before  they  are  exposed. 

"  The  utility  of  the  sweating  practice  is  acknow- 
ledged in  all  the  cider  countries,  though  various 


150  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

methods  liave  been  adopted  in  following  it ;  as  the 
apples  are  piled  up  either  in  the  open  air,  or  under 
cover  in  houses.  In  the  South-hams,  a  middle  way 
has  been  adopted,  to  avoid  thn'i  fermentation  occa- 
sioned by  piling  them  up  in  houses,  and  which  we 
recommend  as  the  best,  and  most  rational.  Heaps 
of  fruit  are  raised  in  an  open  part  of  the  orchard, 
where,  by  means  of  a  free  air  and  less  heat,  the 
desired  maturity  is  gradually  effected,  with  an  in- 
considerable waste  of  the  juice  and  decay  of  the 
fruit,  which  thus  becomes  almost  totally  divested 
of  rancidity.  And,  though  a  few  apples  will  rot, 
even  in  this  manner,  they  are  still  fit  for  use  :  all 
of  them  continue  plump  and  full  of  juice,  and 
heighten  in  a  considerable  degree  the  colour  of  the 
liquor,  Avithout  imparting  to  it  any  disagreeable 
smell  or  taste. 

"  The  fruit  is  then  to  be  ground  till  the  rind  and 
kernels  are  well  bruised :  a  process  which  will 
considerably  improve  the  flavour  and  strength  of 
ihe  liquor,  when  it  should  be  allowed  to  stand  a 
ilay  or  two  in  a  large  open  vessel.  It  is  next 
pressed  between  several  hair-cloths,  and  the  liquor 
received  in  a  vat,  whence  it  is  removed  into  casks, 
which  ought  to  be  placed  in  a  cool  situation,  or  in 
the  free  air,  with  their  bung  holes  open.  These 
casks  are  to  be  sedulously  watched,  till  the  cider 
drops  fine^  when  it  is  to  be  immediately  racked  off 
from  the  lees  into  other  vessels.  The  first  racking 
is  a  most  important  operation ;  as  cider,  which  is 
suffered  to  become  foul  again,  by  missing  the  first 
opportunity  of  racking  it  when  fine,  will  never  be- 
come what  is  called  a  prime  liquor.  After  the 
clear  part  has  been  racked  off,  a  quantity  of  lees  or 
dreo;s  remains,  which,  when  filtered  through  coarse 
linen  bags,  yields  a  bright,  strong,  but  extremely 
flat  liquid:  if  this  be  added  to  the  former  portion, 
it  will  greatly  contribute  to  prevent  fermentation, 
an  excess   of  which    will   make    the     cider   thin 


OF   FRUIT    TREES.  151 

and  acid.  To  avoid  such  an  accident,  the  casks 
should  neither  be  entirely  filled,  nor  stopped  down 
too  close ;  and  if  the  whole  incline  to  ferment,  it 
ought  again  to  be  racked.  This  latter  opera- 
tion, however,  should,  on  no  account,  be  repeated, 
unless  from  absolute  necessity;  as  every  rackitiic 
diminishes  its  strength. 

"  When  there  are  no  signs  of  any  farther  fer- 
mentation, the  casks  should  be  filled  up  with  cider 
of  the  best  quality,  and  the  bung  hole  firmly  closed 
with  rosin. 

"  This  method  of  making  cider  is  that  chiefly 
followed  in  Herefordshire.  Considerable  quanti- 
ties of  this  liquor  are  also  made  in  Devonshire, 
where  the  process  varies  but  little  from  that  pur- 
sued in  the  county  beforementioned.  Several  far- 
mers, however,  instead  of  racking, ^??e  it  with  isin- 
glass steeped  in  white  wine,  dissolved  over  the 
fire,  and  then  boiled  in  a  quantity  of  the  liquor  in- 
tended to  be  fined  :  in  this  state,  it  is  added  to 
that  in  the  cask.  Others,  instead  of  dissolving  the 
isinglass  over  the  fire,  digest  it  in  white  wine  for 
the  space  of  four  or  five  weeks,  during  which  time 
it  acquires  the  consistence  of  a  jelly  ;  a  quantity  of 
this  being  beaten  up  with  some  of  the  liquor,  the 
whole  is  worked  into  a  froth,  and  mingled  with  the 
rest.  As  soon  as  the  cider  becomes  clear,  it  is 
drawn,  or  bottled  off,  as  occasion  may  require. 

"  Those  who  are  anxious  to  prepare  good  cider, 
ought  diligently  to  watch  every  change  of  the  wea- 
ther, however  slight ;  as  the  least  neglect,  at  such 
times,  is  often  detrimental  to  many  hogsheads.  In 
summer  the  danger  is  much  greater  than  in  winter. 
There  is,  however,  scarcely  any  distemper  inci- 
dent to  this  liquor,  which  may  not,  by  a  timely  ap- 
plication, be  easily  remedied.  If  it  become  some- 
what tart,  about  half  a  peck  of  good  wheat,  boiled 
and  hulled  in  a  manner  similar  to  rice,  may  be  put 
into  each  hogshead,  which  will  effectually  restore 


1*52  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

it ;  and  also  contribute  to  preserve  it,  when  drawn 
out  of  one  cask  into  anotlier  Such  a  remedy  is 
doubtless  far  preferable  to  that  odious  custom  prac- 
tised by  too  many  cider  merchants,  who  put  animal 
substances  into  their  liquors,  namely,  veal,  pork, 
beef,  mutton,  and  even  horse  flesh,  for  the  purpose 
of  fining  them.  This  singular  expedient,  though 
sanctioned  by  the  usage  of  ancestors,  we  think  it 
our  duty  to  reprobate ;  because  it  is  fraught  with 
mischievous  eflects  on  the  constitution  of  those,  who 
are  doomed  to  drink  the  cider  thus  adulterated. 
By  allowing  a  small  quantity  to  stand  in  an  open 
vessel  for  two  or  three  days,  in  a  warm  room,  the 
fetid  exhalation  of  the  liquor  will  easily  discover  its 
ingredients. 

"  The  best  cider  is  that  made  from  a  red-streak 
apple,  grafted  upon  a  gennet-moil  stock.  These  two 
varieties  of  the  apple  tree  agree  well  together,  and 
their  trunks  seldom  canker,  as  others  are  apt  to  do, 
especially  wlien  the  former  is  gralted  on  crab 
trees.  The  fruit  of  the  red  streak,  obtained  from 
the  former  combination,  is  always  larger  and  mild- 
er; and  when  ripe,  not  only  most  delicious  eating, 
but  also  affords  a  mellower  liquor  than  the  same 
fruit  produced  by  the  latter  mixture." 

"  There  have  been,"  says  Dr.  Mease,  (Dora. 
Ency.)  "  numerous  receipts  published  to  make  ci- 
der, some  of  which  have  occasioned  considerable 
losses.  A  few  general  and  important  rules  will  be 
given  for  insuring  good  cider,  and  afterwards  some 
particular  directions,  founded  on  experience. 

"  1.  The  first  and  indispensable  requisite  for  mak- 
ing good  cider,  is  to  choose  perfectly  ripe  and  sound 
fruit.  Farmers,  in  general,  are  very  inattentive  to 
these  points,  but  it  is  utterly  impossible  to  make 
good  cider,  unless  they  be  attended  to. 

"  2.  The  apples  ought  to  be  hand-picked,  or 
caught  in  a  sheet,  when  the  tree  is  shook.  When 
they  fall  on  the  ground,  they  become  bruised,  and 


QP  FRUIT  TREES.  153 

as  it  frequently  happens  that  they  remain  for  some 
hours  before  pressing:  the  apples  are  apt  to  com- 
municate a  bad  taste  to  the  liquor  from  the  bruis- 
ed part. 

"  3.  After  having  sweated,  and  before  being 
ground,  the  apples  should  be  wiped,  in  order  to 
remove  a  clammy  moisture  which  covers  them, 
and  which,  if  permitted  to  remain,  would  impove- 
rish the  cider. 

"  4.  The  practice  above  noted,  to  press  the 
pumice  in  hair-cloths,  is  certainly  much  preferable 
to  the  common  American  custom  of  encfosins:  it  in 
bands  of  straw;  because  the  straw,  when  heated 
in  the  mow  or  sack,  gives  the  cider  a  bad  taste. 

"  5.  After  the  cider  has  run  from  the  press,  it 
has  been  directed  to  strain  it  through  hair  sieves 
into  a  large  open  vat,  which  will  contain  a  whole 
making,  or  as  much  as  can  be  pressed  in  one  day. 
When  the  cider  has  remained  in  this  vat  a  day,  or 
sometimes  less,  according  to  the  ripeness  of  the 
fruit  of  which  it  has  been  made,  and  state  of  the 
weather,  the  pumice,  or  grosser  parts  of  the  pulp, 
will  rise  to  the  top,  and  in  a  few  hours,  or  after  a 
day  or  two  at  furthest,  will  grow  very  thick,  and 
when  little  white  bubbles  break  through  it,  draw 
it  otf  through  a  cock  or  faucet  hole,  within  three 
inches  from  the  bottom,  and  the  lees  may  quietly 
remain  behind.  This  operation  is  of  great  impor- 
tance, as  the  sinking  of  the  feculent  matter  would 
greatly  injure  the  liquor. 

"  6.  On  drawing  off  the  cider  from  the  vat,  it 
must  be  tunned  into  clean  casks,  and  closely  watch- 
ed, to  prevent  the  fermentation ;  when,  therefore, 
white  bubbles,  as  mentioned  above,  are  perceived 
at  the  bung-hole,  rack  it  again  immediately  ;  after 
which  it  will  probably  not  ferment  until  March, 
when  it  must  be  racked  off  as  before,  and,  if  pos- 
sible, in  clear  weather. 
20 


154  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

"  7.  It  is  of  ^reat  consequence  to  prevent  the 
escape  of  the  carbonick  acid,  or  fixed  air,  from  cider, 
as  on  this  principle  all  its  briskness  depends.  To 
eifect  this,  various  expedients  have  been  contrived. 
In  the  state  of  Connecticut,  where  much  cider  is 
made,  it  is  a  common  practice  to  pour  a  tumbler  of 
olive  oil  into  the  bung-hole  of  every  cask.  Upon 
the  same  principle  we  have  lately  heard  of  a  man, 
who  boasted  that  he  had  drunk  brisk  beer  out  of 
the  same  cask  for  five  years,  and  that  his  secret 
was  to  cover  the  surface  of  the  liquor  with  olive 
oil.  Dr.  Darwin  also  says,  he  was  told  by  a  gen- 
tleman Avho  made  a  considerable  quantity  of  cider 
on  his  estate,  that  he  procured  vessels  of  stronger 
construction  than  usual,  and  that  he  directed  the 
apple  juice,  as  soon  as  it  was  settled,  to  be  bunged 
no  close,  and  that  thouo^h  he  had  had  one  vessel  or 
two  occasionally  burst  by  the  expansion  of  the  fer- 
menting liquor,  yet  that  this  rarely  occurred,  and 
that  his  cider  never  failed  to  be  of  the  most  excel- 
lent quality,  and  was  sold  at  a  great  price. 

"  To  prevent  a  succeeding  fermentation,  put  in 
a  handful  of  powdered  clay  ;  and  to  preserve  it, 
add  one  quart  of  apple  brandy  to  each  barrel. 
Every  cask  must  be  tilled  up  and  closely  bunged. 

**  8.  When  care  has  been  taken  to  prevent  the 
precipitation  of  the  feculent  matter  which  rises  in 
the  cider,  good  liquor  will  generally  tine  without  ar- 
titicial  means  ;  but  sometimes  it  is  necessary  to  line 
after  the  last  racking,  when  the  abovementioned 
article  has  been  found  to  answer  very  elfectuallv, 
if  used  in  the  following  way.  For  a  barrel,  cut 
one  ounce  of  isinglass  tine,  put  it  into  a  pint  of  wa- 
ter, stir  it  frequently,  and  make  a  thick  jelly.  Di- 
lute this  with  cider,  strain  and  mix  it  well  with  the 
liquor  in  the  cask,  by  means  of  a  long  clean  stick. 

"  The  editor  has  known  an  ounce  of  orris  root, 
in  powder,  give  a  pleasant  flavour  to  cider. 


OF  PRUIT  TREES.  '1 5b 

**  A  friend  directs  cider  to  be  bottled  in  July,  to 
fill  the  bottles  within  two  inches  of  the  top,  letting 
them  stand  twelve  hours  open  before  corking.  Use 
strong  porter  bottles,  and  the  best  velvet  corks. 
The  bottling  should  be  done  in  clear  weather. 

"  For  the  following  communication  on  the  mak- 
ing and  fining  of  cider,  the  editor  is  indebted  to  Jo- 
seph Cooper,  esquire,  of  New  Jersey. 

"  '  Cider  is  an  article  of  domestick  manufacture, 
which  is,  in  my  opinion,  worse  managed  than 
any  in  our  country :  perhaps  the  better  way  to 
correct  errours  is  to  point  out  some  of  the  princi- 
pal ones,  and  then  to  recommend  better  plans. 

"  '  Apples  are  commonly  collected  when  wet, 
and  thrown  into  a  heap,  exposed  to  sun  and  rain, 
until  a  sourness  pervades  the  whole  mass,  then 
ground,  and  for  want  of  a  trough  or  other  vessels 
sufficient  to  hold  a  cheese  at  a  time,  the  pumice  ia 
put  on  the  press  as  fast  as  ground  ;  and  a  laro^e 
cheese  is  made,  which  requires  so  much  time  to 
finish  and  press  oif,  that  a  fermentation  .comes  on 
in  the  cheese  before  all  the  juice  is  out ;  and  cer- 
tain it  is,  that  a  small  quantity  of  the  juice  pressed 
out  after  fermentation  comes  on,  will  spoil  .the 
product  of  a  whole  cheese,  if  mixed  therewith. 
When  either  of  the  above  errours  will  spoil  cider, 
we  need  not  wonder  at  the  etfect  of  a  combina- 
tion of  the  whole,  as  frequently  happens.  As  I 
have  very  often  exported  cider  to  the  West  In- 
dies, and  to  Europe,  and  also  sold  it  to  others 
for  the  same  purpose,  without  even  hearing  of 
any  spoiling;  and  as  it  is  my  wish  to  make  the 
productions  of  our  country  as  useful  as  possible, 
1  will  give  an  account  of  my  method  of  making 
this  valuable  liquor. 

"  '  I  gather  the  apples  when  dry,  put  them  on  a 
floor  under  cover,  and  have  a  trough  large  enough 
to  hold  a  cheese  at  once,  and  when  the  weather 
is  warm,   I  grind  them  late  in  the  evening,  spread- 


!56  Ct'LTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

ing  the  pumice  over  the  trough  to  air  It,  ag  the 
cider  will  thereby  be  enriched,  and  a  fine  amber 
colour  in  it  be  produced :  and  here  it  may  be  re- 
marked, that  the  longer  a  cheese  lies  after  being 
ground^  before  pressiiig,  the  better  for  the  cider,  pro- 
vided it  escapes  Jermentation  until  the  pressing  is 
completed.  The  following  experiment  will  render 
this  evident : — Bruise  a  tart  apple  on  one  side,  and 
let  it  lay  until  brown:  then  taste  the  juice  of  each 
part,  and  it  will  be  found  that  the  juice  of  the 
bruised  part  is  sweet  and  rich :  so  if  sweet  and 
tart  apples  are  ground  together,  and  put  imme- 
diately on  the  press,  the  liquor  which  they  pro- 
duce v»'ill  have  the  taste  of  both  kinds  of  fruit ;  but 
if  permitted  to  lie  until  the  pumice  become  brown, 
the  cider  will  be  greatly  improved. 

"'  I  take  great  care  to  put  cider  in  clean  sweet 
casks,  and  the  only  way  to  effect  this  is,  to  rinse  or 
scald  them  Avell  as  soon  as  the  cider  is  out,  and  not 
to  permit  them  to  stand  with  the  lees,  which  will 
certainly  cause  them  to  become  sour,  or  musty,  or 
to  smell.  When  my  casks  are  filled,  I  place  them 
in  the  shade,  exposed  to  the  northern  air ;  and 
when  fermentation  takes  place,  I  fill  them  up  once 
or  more,  to  cause  as  much  of  the  feculent  matter  as 
possible  to  discharge  from  the  bung ;  when  a  clear 
white  froth  comes  out,  I  put  in  the  bung  loosely, 
or  bore  a  hole  in  it  and  put  in  a  spile,  thereby 
checking  the  fermentation  gradually.  After  this 
has  subsided,  I  take  the  first  opportunity  of  clear 
cool  weather,  and  rack  it  off  into  clean  casks, 
which  I  prepare  thus.  When  I  draw  cider  out  of 
a  cask  in  which  it  has  fermented,  I  rinse  it  with 
cold  water,  and  put  in  two  or  three  quarts  of  fine 
gravel,  and  three  or  four  gallons  of  water ;  t!;ie 
cask  is  well  shaken  or  rolled,  to  scour  off  the  sedi- 
ment always  adhering  to  the  cask,  and  which,  if  not 
removed,  will  act  as  a  ferment  to  the  liquor  when 
returned  to  the  cask,  and  spoil  or  greatly  injure 
the  liquor. 


OF    FRUIT    TREES,  157 

"  *  After  scouring  the  casks,  I  again  rinse  them, 
and  I  find  advantage  from  burning  a  match  of  sul- 
phur suspended  in  the  cask  by  a  wire,  after  putting 
m  two  or  three  buckets  of  cider.  A  convenient 
way  to  perform  tliis  process  is  to  have  a  long  taper- 
ing bung,  so  as  that  between,  the  two  ends  it  will 
fit  any  hole  ;  to  the  small  end  of  this  bung  drive  in 
a  wire  with  a  hooked  end  to  hold  the  match.  If 
the  cider  stands  a  week  or  more  after  racking,  pre- 
viously to  being  put  away  in  the  cellar  I  rack  it 
again,  rinsing  the  casks,  but  not  with  gravel,  and 
remove  them  to  the  cellar.  The  late  made  cider 
I  put  in  the  cellar  immediately  after,  or  before  the 
first  racking,  according  as  the  weather  may  happen 
to  be.  The  cider  intended  to  be  kept  till  summer, 
I  rack  in  clear,  cool  weather,  in  the  latter  end  of 
February  or  beginning  of  March ;  the  casks  must 
be  kept  full,  and  bunged  as  tight  as  possible.' 

"  Mr.  Cooper  fines  with  the  isinglass  jelly,  men- 
tioned above  ;  but  in  case  the  liquor  should  not  fine 
in  ten  days,  he  directs  to  rack  it  again,  and  repeat 
the  fining  as  before,  but  says  it  is  best  to  rack  it, 
whether  fine  or  not,  in  ten  or  twelve  days,  lest  the 
sediment  should  rise,  which  often  happens.  Mr. 
Cooper  adds,  '  The  foregoing  operation  should  be 
performed  previously  to  the  apples  being  in  bloom, 
but  I  have  succeeded  best  in  the  winter  during 
steady  cool  weather.  I  have  likewise  had  good 
success  in  fining  cider  directly  from  the  press; 
when  this  is  done,  I  set  the  casks  with  one  head 
out,  but  covered,  put  in  taps,  and  let  them  remain 
in  a  cool  place,  properly  fixed  for  drawing,  when 
the  fermentation  ceases,  and  the  scum  begins  to, 
crack.  I  take  it  off  carefully  with  a  skimmer,  and 
draw  it  from  the  sediment.  If  not  sufficiently  fine 
before  the  middle  of  winter,  I  fine  it  again,  as 
above.'" 

If  the  above  recited  details  do  not  embrace  com- 
pletely the  entire  subject  of  qider-making,  the  fol- 


158  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

lowir^  elaborate  and  most  valuable  communication 
from  John  Lowell,  esquire,  will  supply  every  defi- 
ciency, and  cannot  fail  of  being  acceptable.  From 
Mass.  Agricultural  Repository,  vol.  iv. 


**  Some  remarks  on  the  necessity  and  importance  of  improving 
the  manufacture  of  Cider,  introductory  to  some  extracts  from 
approved  English  and  French  works  on  that  subject.  By  the 
Corresponding  Secretary." 

In  his  introductory  part,  Mr.  Lowell  observes, 
that  "  there  is  nothing  of  which  a  good  farmer  is  so 
proud,  as  of  his  orchard ;  and  the  state  of  the  or- 
chard is  generally  a  pretty  good  test  of  the  charac- 
ter of  the  man  as  to  mdustry  and  capacity  at  least. 
•Our  climate  and  soil  are  well  adapted  to  the  apple 
tree,  and  it  certainly  is  desirable,  that  cider  should 
continue  to  be  the- general  drink  of  the  New  Eng- 
land people.  It  is  greatly  to  be  desired  that  this 
liquor  should  be  improved  in  its  quality  as  much  as 
possible.  The  quality  of  our  cider,  as  it  is  com- 
monly drunk,  particularly  in  the  country,  is  infe- 
riour  to  that  of  any  cider  country  in  the  world,  and 
much  inferiour  to  that  of  New  Jersey."  In  the 
opinion  of  Mr.  L.  some  of  the  causes  of  the  ill 
quality  of  our  cider,  compared  with  that  of  New 
Jersey  or  Europe,maybe  resolved  into  the.following : 

"  i.  Inattention  to  the  selection  of  proper  fruiti 
in  making  our  orchards. 

"  2.  Neglect  to  separate  the  dilTerent  sorts  of 
apples,  so  that  those  only  which  are  of  an  equal 
degree  of  ripeness  should  be  ground  togetlitcr. 
What  sort  of  wine  do  you  suppose  would  be  made, 
if  the  ripe  and  unripe  grapes  were  all  put  into  the 
same  press .'^  Is  cider  an  exception  to  the  common 
laws  on  this  subject  ?  How  can  it  be  expected  that 
cider  should  pass  regularly  through  the  process  of 
fermentation,  when  it  is  composed  of  hquor  in  vari- 
ous stages  of  ripeness  ?  Some  faruaers,we  know,  are 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  159^ 

attentive  to  this   point,  and  others  must  have  felt 
the  good  effects  of  It. 

"  3.  The  third  cause  of  the  indifferent  quahty  of 
our  cider,  is  the  process  of  making  it. 

"  And,  lastly,  gross  inattention  to  it,  after  it  is 
made. 

"  I  shall  consider  each  of  these  points  separate- 
ly, and  instead  of  showing  the  existing  defects,  I 
shall  take  from  the  most  approved  English  and 
French  works,  directions  on  all  these  heads.  Let 
our  farmers  read  them;  if  they  are  conscious  that 
their  practice  is  defective  on  any  of  the  points 
mentioned,  they  will  have  instructions  how  to  reme- 
dy them.  If  they  think  their  own  practice  hetter, 
let  them,  for  the  publick  good,  communicate  that 
practice  to  the  society  for  the  promotion  of  agri- 
culture, and  the  society  will  make  it  known. 

"  The  first  point  of  attention,  in  which  we  are 
defective,  is  the  selection  of  proper  fruit  for  mak- 
ing cider.  I  believe  there  is  not  an  orchard  in 
Massachusetts,  planted  on  the  principles  laid  down 
by  writers  on  this  subject.  I  believe  there  is  no 
one  apple  selected  in  preference  as  a  cider  apple. 
There  are  trees  grafted  for  winter  fruit,  but  our 
cider  generally  takes  the  refuse  of  all  our  apple 
trees. 

"  The  first  work  I  shall  cite  on  this  subject,  is  a 
treatise  on  cider-making,  by  H.  Stafford,  esquire,  of 
Devonshire,  Great  Britain. 

"  *  Some  are  of  opinion,  that  with  good  manage-- 
ment  any  kinds  of  apples  may  be  made  to  produce 
good  cider,  but  experienced  farmers  do  not  concur 
with  them.  I  have,  indeed,  tasted  of  cider,  made 
of  common  fruits,  extremely  sweet,  but  for  want  of 
sprightliness  mixed  with  it,  it  soon  palled  or  be- 
came sour. 

" '  In  Devonshire,  it  is  a  maxim  worth  observance. 
that  in  planting  an  orchard,  the  several  excellences 
of  the  kinds  intended  for  that  purpose,  should  he 


160  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

previously  well  considered,  whether  they  are  likely 
to  make  lasting,  large,  and  fruitful  trees,  as  well  as 
hardy,  not  subject  to  blights ;  that  they  produce 
fruit  which  will  make  the  best  cider,  and  that  all 
the  kinds  may  ripen  about  the  same  time,  or  at 
least,  enough  at  one  time  to  make  a  good  cheese 
for  one  pressing,  which  last  property  is  of  no  small 
consequence  for  the  making  of  cider.'  Who  among 
us  has  followed  such  rules,  and  yet  who  will  deny 
they  are  wise  ?" 

That  portion  of  this  excellent  communication, 
which  relates  to  the  planting  an  orchard,  is  omitted 
as  superfluous,  since  the  subject  has  been  fully  con- 
sidered in  the  foregoing  pages. 

"  The  Complete  Farmer's  Dictionary  gives  the 
following  additional  hints  on  this  part  of  our  sub- 
ject. They  are  the  advice  of  a  Herefordshire 
planter.  That  county  is  famous  for  its  excellent 
cider. 

" '  The  worse  the  apple  is  for  the  table,  the  bet- 
ter it  is  in  general  esteemed  for  cider,  such  as  are 
harsh  and  crabbed  to  the  taste.  They  are  called 
red  streak,  white  and  green  musts,  &c.  &c.  of  all 
which  I  prefer  the  red  streak.  Generally,  the  red- 
der the  apple,  the  better  it  is  for  cider.  The  paler 
the  rind,  the  worse  the  juice.  A  sweet  apple  Avitii 
a  tough  skin  will  always  yield  a  good  vinous  liquor. 
The  more  yellow  the  flesh  of  the  apple,  the  better 
and  finer  coloured  will  be  the  cider.  The  above 
maxims,  though  few,  have  been  of  great  service  to 
me  in  life,  but  they  must  not  be  scrupulously  adher- 
ed to,  because  there  are  exceptions.  I  seldom  suf- 
fer my  apples  to  be  gathered  till  they  begin  of 
themselves  to  drop.  Great  care  is  taken  in  gather- 
ing, for  fear  they  should  be  bruised.  I  have  found 
this  a  very  needful  precaution.* 

"  *  This  is  a  point  never,  or  very  seldom  attended  to  in  our 
country.  Cider  apples  are  usually  knocked  down  with  poles, 
to  the  damage  of  the  fruit  and  tree." 


©P  FRUIT  TREES.  ICI 

"  *  As  they  are  gathered,'  sajs  the  Herefordshire 
planter,  '  I  have  them  sorted  according  to  their  seve- 
ral degrees  of  ripeness.' 

"  The  French  writers  are  equally  urgent  on  the 
importance  of  selecting  the  fruits  best  adapted  for 
cider,  and  in  planting  those  of  an  analogous  or  simi- 
lar nature  in  one  orchard. 

"It  may  be  said,  there  are  great  difhculties  in 
procuring  trees  of  approved  sorts.  Where  can  we 
get  the  Hughes's  crab  and  Hagloe  crab,  and  the 
other  celebrated  apples?  it  may  be  asked. 

"  We  answer,  there  never  will  be  a  supply  till 
there  is  a  demand.  It  is  believed  that  as  many 
thousand  trees  of  the  best  cider  fruit  can  be  pro- 
cured annually,  as  will  be  wanted.  Trees  can  be 
imported  from  England  and  France,  or  from  New 
York,  and  sold  here  for  thirty  cents  a  piece.  In  a 
few  years  we  should  have  nurseries  here,  whenev- 
er our  farmers  shall  think  it  best  to  have  the  most 
productive  apples,  and  those  which  experience  has 
shown  to  be  calculated  to  make  the  best  cider. 
But  whil«  they  are  contented  with  an  orchard,  one 
half  of  which  consists  of  bad  fruit,  some  trees  ripen- 
ing in  August,  some  in  September,  and  some  not 
ripe  in  October;  while  they  are  indifferent  as  to 
the  quality  of  their  cider,  and  esteem  an  acid,  musty 
liquor  as  well  as  a  vinous,  well-flavoured  one,  no 
doubt  good  apple  trees  will  be  dear,  or  not  to  be 
had.  It  is  true  that  we  probably  have  many  natu- 
ral apples  equal  to  the  most  famous  of  Hereford- 
shire. 

"  Our  climate  is  much  better  suited  to  the  apple. 
Our  trees  are  fairer  and  finer  than  those  of  the  best 
cider  counties  in  Great  Britain.  We  must  have 
probably  some  excellent  native  apples.  But  then, 
who  knows  where  to  get  them  ?  The  reputation 
of  an  apple  hardly  goes  beyond  its  village,  and  many 
farmers  know  nothing  of  the  quality  of  their  ©wn 
21 


162  GULIURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

apples,  except  their  productiveness,  because  ther 
mix  the  good  and  bad  together. 

"On  this  first  point,  it  is  apparent,  that  we  can- 
not rival  other  countries  in  cider,  until  we  adopt 
sonae  system  in  planting,  by  selecting  apples  well 
known  to  be  calculated  to  make  good  cider,  and 
well  assorted  as  to  ripeness. 

"  We  now  proceed  to  the  second  point ;  the  cull- 
ing and  sorting  the  apples  previous  to  grinding 
them. 

"  That  this  is  considered  an  important  part  of 
the  process  of  making  good  cider,  will  appear  from 
the  following  extracts. 

"  The  Abbe  Rosier,  author  of  the  most  approv- 
ed work  on  agriculture  In  France,  has  the  following 
remarks. 

"'The  fruit  ought  always  to  be  left  on  the  trees 
till  it  is  quite  ripe.  You  may  then  disengage  it 
from  the  tree  easily,  without  hurting  the  fruit  buds 
of  the  next  year.  Tliey  should  be  gathered  on  a 
dry  day,  when  they  are  not  covered  with  dew,  or 
any  extraordinary  moisture.  Moisture  causes  them 
soon  to  rot  and  turn  black.  They  ought  to  be  col- 
lected in  as  large  heaps  as  possible,  to  ripen  them 
better.  The  early  apples  ought  to  be  separated 
from  the  later  ones.  Some  will  be  too  ripe,  or 
even  rotten,  while  others  are  yet  green.  They 
take  care,  therefore,  to  heap  together  those  only 
of  the  same  kind.  As  to  windfalls,  they  are  col- 
lected separately,  in  order  to  make  cider  for  pre- 
sent use.  The  apples  ought  to  be  gathered  by 
hand.  It  should  be  done  by  light  ladders,  so  as 
not  to  injure  a  single  bud  of  the  next  year.  The 
question  is  this,  whether  the  slight  additional  ex- 
pense of  gathering  the  fruit  by  the  hand,  will  not 
be  abundantly  compensated  by  the  preservation  of 
the  fruit  biids  of  the  next  year-f* 

"'Rotten  apples  ought  to  be  entirely  excluded. 
They  give  a  musty  taste  to  the  fruit. 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  163 

"'You  ought  to  collect  all  the  apples  of  a  similar 
«ort  together,  having  a  regard  both  to  the  quality 
and  degree  of  ripeness.  Without  this  attention, 
you  will  carry  to  the  press  apples  which  are  green, 
others  rotten,  and  there  will  result  from  it  a  very 
bad  liquor.  On  the  other  hand,  you  will  have  by 
separation,  cider  of  different  qualities,  but  all  good. 
Some  is  good  for  immediate  use,  that  is,  in  three 
months;  some  will  keep  for  one  or  two  years. 

"'The  Normans  separate  the  sweet  apples  from 
the  sour.  This  was  the  advice  of  the  celebrated 
Olivier  de  Serres,  the  father  of  French  agriculture. 
He  says.  Let  us  remark  that  we  ought  not  to  mix 
the  diiferent  kinds  of  fruit.  The  sweet  should  not 
be  mixed  with  the  sour:  each  should  be  separately 
pressed.  This  will  atfect  the  goodness  as  well  as 
duration  of  the  cider.  Thus  sweet  apples  will  give 
the  best  quality,  and  sour  the  second.  The  last 
will  keep  the  longest.'     Abbe  de  Rosier. 

"  Such  are  the  opinions  of  French  cultivators  as 
to  the  sorting  and  selection  of  apples. 

"  The  Complete  Farmer's  Dictionary  gives  us  the 
English  practice.  The  Herefordshire  planter  thus 
describes  his  operations. 

"'As  the  apples  are  gathered,  I  have  them  all 
sorted  according  to  the  several  degrees  of  ripeness, 
making  in  general  three  sorts,  which  a  little  expe- 
rience teaches  to  separate  properly,  the  difference 
being  apparent  at  first  sight.  As  fast  as  they  are 
gathered,  they  are  carried  under  a  shed  to  ripen. 
I  suffer  my  apples  to  lie  a  longer  or  shorter  time  in 
heaps,  according  to  their  nature  ;  such  as  are  hard 
and  solid  lying  longer  than  those  that  are  soft  and 
pulpy.  I  divide  my  apples  into  three  sorts,  but  I 
have  six  qualities  of  cider,  each  differing  in  taste, 
flavour  and  quality. 

"'  As  fast  as  the  fruit  is  ground  (I  need  not  say  I 
use  the  ripest  first)  the  pulp  is  put  into  vats  near 
the  press   before  it  is  put  into   the  cheese;  at  the 


164  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

bottom  of  the  vat  is  a  tap,  through  which  a  consi- 
derable quantity  of"  vinous  juice  will  run  without 
pressing. 

" '  This  is  the  best  cider,  and  I  barrel  it  by  itself. 
I  then  press  the  rest,  and  barrel  it  separately. 
Thus  I  have  six  qualities  from  my  three  assortments 
of  apples.'* 

"  Another  English  writer  says,  '  When  your  ap- 
ples are  fit  for  gathering,  it  is  essential  to  choose 
dry  weather,  for  water  is  a  bad  ingredient  in  all 
vinous  liquors,  and  gather  it  hy  hand.  This  is  diffi- 
cult in  extensive  orchards  and  on  high  trees,  but  it 
is  of  great  advantage,  and  quits  cost.  You  can 
choose  your  apples,  and  leave  those  that  are  not 
ripe :  you  save  your  fruit  from  bruises,  and  your 
trees  from  damage.  The  gathering  by  hand,  espe- 
cially for  winter  fruit,  is  so  essential,  that  it  cannot 
be  dispensed  with.  Those  who  plead  want  of  time, 
may  be  answered,  that  it  would  be  more  beneficial 
to  them  to  have  only  half  the  quantity  of  good 
cider,  than  the  whole  of  indifferent. 

" '  But  for  those  who  are  too  lazy  to  adopt  this 
practice,  the  best  method  is  to  cover  the  ground 
with  a  sufficient  thickness  of  straw  to  save  the 
apples  in  their  fall,  and  to  put  blankets  upon  the 
straw;  then  to  shake  the  boughs  gently,  removing 
the  apples  under  the  tree  at  every  shaking,  that 
they  may  not  be  bruised  by  those  which  after- 
wards fall.' 

"  Now,  we  ask,  whether  this  sort  of  care  is  with 
us  ever  taken  ?  and  whether  it  is  not  as  well  worth 
the  pains  in  this  country  as  in  England?  Would 
not  half  the  quantity  of  excellent  cider  go  as  far  in 

"  *  Would  it  not  be  worth  the  pains  of  our  farmers  to  keep  the 
first  runnings  of  the  press  separate,  and  use  or  sell  it  as  cider  of 
superiour  quality  ?  There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  correctness  of 
this  Herefordshire  farmer's  remarks.  He  must  have  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  experience." 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  165 

a  family  and  sell  for  as  much  as  double  of  an  infe- 
riour  and  miserable  quality  ? 

"  '  Windfalls,  bruised  apples,  and  unripe  ones, 
should  not  by  any  means  be  mixed  with  those 
which  are  choice  ;  for  if  they  are,  it  will  be  vain  to 
expect  good  cider.  This  bad  fruit  need  not  be 
thrown  away.  It  will  make  a  cider  of  inferiour 
quality.  There  is  a  diiference  of  opinion  as  to 
sweating  the  apples  in  heaps,  but  they  all  agree  in 
one  maxim,  that  the  fruit  should  be  ground  when  it 
is  in  the  greatest  perfection  for  eating.  Almost  all 
apples  require  some  time  for  ripening.  And  they 
should  be  so  separated  as  to  have  each  sort  ground 
when  it  is  perfectly  ripe.'  Complete  Farmer's 
Dictionary. 

"  These  are  the  hints  given  by  French  and  Bri- 
tish writers.  Are  they  not  judicious?  Are  these 
practices  adopted  with  us  .f^  If  not,  why  should  they 
not  be  ?  Cider  in  the  cider  counties  of  England  is 
not  much  dearer  than  with  us.  But  the  price  is 
regulated  by  the  quality.  Cider  of  good  repute 
will  sell  for  three  or  four  times  as  much  as  that 
which  is  indifferent.  It  would  soon  be  the  case  in 
our  country,  if  any  of  our  spirited  and  intelligent 
farmers  would  adopt  these  rules,  or  any  others 
calculated  to  make  their  cider  equal  to  that  of 
JVormandy  or  Great  Britain,  or  of  Newark,  in  New 
Jersey.  Let  us  not  longer  have  the  reproach  so 
often  bestowed  on  us,  that  while  our  soil  and  cli- 
mate are  peculiarly  adapted  to  the  apple  tree, 
our  cider  is  such,  that  foreigners,  and  even  our  own 
citizens,  who  have  been  accustomed  to  better 
liquors,  cannot  endure  it.  Hence  the  great  con- 
sumption of  brandy  and  ardent  spirits  in  our  coun- 
try towns.  Furnish  them  a  pleasant  and  whole- 
some beverage,  and  you  will  do  more  to  abolish 
this  practice  than  you  can  do  by  any  other  means. 
We  have  thus  seen  that  a  second  method  to  pro- 


16t)  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

cure  good  cider  in  other  countries  is  to  sort  and  se- 
lect the  fruit  destined  to  produce  it. 

"  The  third  question  relates  to  the  mode  of  mak- 
ing the  cider,  and  the  last  to  the  treatment  of  it, 
after  it  is  made,  till  it  is  fit  for  the  table.  These 
two  points,  being  intimately  connected,  and  very- 
much  blended  by  the  writers  on  this  subject,  we 
shall  consider  together. 

"  The  Complete  Farmer's  Dictionary  contains 
the  following  directions  on  this  part  of  the  pro- 
cess. 

"'  The  first  runnings  from  the  vat  may  be  imme- 
diately put  into  barrels,  taking  care  to  strain  them 
first.  As  to  the  juice,  after  it  is  pressed,  it  ought 
to  remain  thirty  hours  in  the  tub  or  vat  into  which 
it  runs,  till  the  feces  or  dregs  have  fallen  to  the 
bottom,  after  which  it  may  be  drawn  off  by  a  cock 
and  put  into  the  barrels.  After  the  cider  has 
done  fermenting,  some  persons  throw  two  or  three 
handfuls  of  wheat  bran  into  each  barrel,  which 
serves  to  make  the  head  or  cream  thicker,  and 
makes  the  cider  keep  better.  New  casks  are,  if 
possible,  to  be  avoided,  as  they  give  the  cider  a 
disagreeable  taste  ;  if  it  cannot  be  avoided,  they 
should  be  scalded  with  water  in  which  a  conside- 
rable quantity  of  apple  pulp  has  been  boiled.  If  a 
vessel  is  not  sweet,  it  may  be  made  so  by  putting 
some  unslacked  lime  into  it,  and  letting  it  stand  till 
the  fermentation  is  over.  A  dozen  sweet  apples 
sliced  into  a  cask  of  cider,  have  been  found  to  be 
advantageous.' 

"  One  writer  says,  the  best  cider  he  ever  had, 
was  when  he  put  into  each  hogshead  three  quarts 
of  good  wheat  first  boiled  and  hulled.  The 
same  writer  says,  he  must  give  one  piece  of  advice 
to  cider  makers,  that  they  diligently  watch  the  al- 
terations in  it  during  changes  of  weather.  There 
is  scarcely  any  disease  in  this  liquor  but  what  may 
be  cured  by  a  timely  application.     If  it  is  only  a 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  167 

little  inclined  to  tartness,  wheat,  managed  as  above, 
(that  is,  boiled  and  hulled,)  will  cure  it.  The  quan- 
tity, when  cider  is  quite  tart,  is  half  a  peck  to  a 
hogshead,  or  about  a  quart  to  one  of  our  barrels. 
Such  are  the  directions  of  one  cider  maker  whose 
opinions  are  quoted  in  the  abovementioned  dic- 
tionary. 

"  Another  writer  says,  when  the  apples  ar« 
ground  they  are  not  put  immediately  into  the  press, 
but  into  wide  tubs  or  vats,  where  the  pumice 
should  be  turned  five  or  six  times  a  day,  to  pre- 
vent fermentation.  This  is  done  in  order  to  give 
the  cider  a  fine  colour.  This  is  done  in  two  days. 
It  is  usual,  says  this  cider  maker,  to  dispose  of  all 
the  liquor  in  the  same  way  and  without  distinction. 
This  is  wrong,  if  there  is  any  analogy,  as  there 
must  be,  between  cider  and  wine.  Experience  has 
shown,  that  in  making  wines  there  is  a  great  diffe- 
rence between  the  first  runnings  from  the  press, 
and  those  which  are  obtained  by  hard  pressing; 
and  this  difference  is  always  in  favour  of  the  for- 
mer. If  the  same  be  true  of  cider,  we  lose  by  our 
common  method  the  richest  and  choicest  kinds. 

"  When  the  pressing  of  the  apples  is  finished, 
the  most  careful  makers  of  cider  strain  it  throuo-Ji 
a  hair  sieve,  (or  through  sand,)  to  separate  it 
from  the  coarsest  dregs.  It  must  be  then  left  to 
itself  till  it  has  gone  through  the  necessary  fer- 
mentation ;  for  this  purpose  some  put  it  into 
hogsheads,  and  others  into  great  tubs  or  vats, 
wide  at  top,  and  narrower  at  bottom,  containing 
from  five  to  twenty  hogsheads,  or  from  twenty 
to  eighty  barrels.  In  these  vessels  the  heaviest 
lees  subside,  and  the  lighter  lees  form  a  crust, 
which,  when  it  begins  to  crack  and  sink,  gives 
notice  of  the  time  to  draw  off  and  barrel  the 
cider. 

"  The  usual  time  for  this  first  fermentation  is 
from    thirty-six    to    forty-eight    hours.     Some    af- 


•168  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

firm,  they  can  put  the  liquor  immediately  into  the 
barrels,  without  any  other  caution  than  leaving 
space  to  work  off  the  lees ;  but  this  is  hazardous, 
and  successful  only  in  favourable  seasons.  A  mo- 
derate degree  of  warmth  is  absolutely  necessary  to 
produce  the  proper  fermentation  of  cider.  If, 
therefore,  your  cellar  or  apartment  be  too  cold,  it 
must  be  moderately  warmed.  As  soon  as  the  fer- 
mentation is  over,  (and  great  care  must  be  taken 
to  prevent  its  being  too  great,  for  in  this  last  case 
it  will  become  acid,)  it  must  be  drawn  off,  and  then 
it  may  be  put  where  it  is  to  be  preserved.  New 
casks  are  bad.  Frequent  scaldings  with  hot  wa- 
ter, in  which  a  little  salt  has  been  dissolved,  or 
with  hot  water,  in  which  pumice  has  been  boiled, 
and  afterwards  washing  the  cask  with  cider,  will 
check  this  evil. 

"  There  are  some  who  advise  the  fumigating 
casks  with  brimstone,  and  affirm  that  the  acidity 
of  the  cask  is  corrected,  the  musty  taste  destroyed, 
and  that  the  cider  will  keep  the  better  for  it.  It 
must,  in  that  case,  be  put  in  as  soon  as  the  fumi- 
gation is  finished.  The  best  shaped  vessels  for 
keeping  cider,  are  those  in  which  the  cask  or  ves- 
sel is  wider  at  top  than  at  bottom. 

"  A  question  of  great  importance  is  now  to  be 
considered.  Some  maintain  that  frequent  racking 
spoils  the  cider  ;  and  others  assert  that  it  can  never 
be  good  without  it.  Some  rack  once  and  twice,  and 
others  whenever  the  liquor  frets  or  ferments.  We 
shall  therefore  state  the  various  methods,  and  give 
a  general  opinion  on  the  subject. 

"  One  mode  is  to  leave  the  cider  in  the  open  vats 
at  the  press  some  days  longer  than  was  above  ad- 
vised (which  was  two)  and  till  it  is  in  some  degree 
finer ;  then  to  put  it  into  casks,  where  it  is  to  re- 
main without  any  further  racking.  Those  who  de- 
fend this  practice,  say  their  cider  is  stronger  and 
better  for  it. 


OP   FRUIT   TREES.  169 

"A  second  and  more  common  mode  is,  after  bar- 
relling it  and  letting  it  stand  aboi*t  a  fortnight,  to 
draw  it  oif  into  fresh  casks.  To  this  second  rack- 
ing others  add  a  third  in  March.  Others,  especial- 
ly the  Devonshire  people,  (whose  habits  and  usages 
much  resemble  ours,)  look  upon  a  thorough  fermen- 
tation as  the  great  secret  to  have  their  cider  light, 
fine  and  free  from  dregs,  and  accordingly  they  do 
more.  At  first  barrelling  they  leave  a  space  to  re- 
ceive a  fresh  pailful  from  the  press,  'rhis  produ- 
ces a  new  fermentation,  and  is  often  kept  up  by 
fresh  cider  for  a  fortnight.  A  month  after  this  they 
rack  their  cider  into  new  casks,  and  in  two  months 
more  they  rack  it  again,  and  if  it  still  frets,  they 
often  repeat  it  a  third  and  fourth  time. 

"  Such  are  the  various  practices  in  England,  and 
the  authors  of  this  dictionary  on  the  whole  advise 
to  the  racking  of  cider.  Weak  cider  cannot  bear 
more  than  one  or  two  rackinsfs.  Stronsf  cider  will 
stand  several,  and  grow  mellower  for  them.  Above 
all,  great  pains  must  be  taken  to  prevent  fermenta- 
tion after  the  liquor  has  become  fine ;  this  can  only 
be  done  by  racking.  Generally  the  cider  which  is 
longest  in  refining  is  the  strongest  and  most  lasting. 

"  Another  more  sensible  writer  in  the  same  work 
observes,  '  that  the  ground  apples  or  pumice  ought 
to  remain  at  least  twelve  hours  before  it  is  pressed 
at  all.  With  respect  to  the  temperature  of  the 
air  in  which  cider  should  be  kept  while  fermenting, 
or  to  make  it  ferment,  he  remarks  that  farmers 
have  no  thermometers.  Some  more  obvious  rules 
must  be  applied.  They  should  not  be  exposed  to 
frost.  In  the  beginning,  however,  they  cannot  be 
kept  too  cool,  short  of  frost.  Hence  the  time  when 
fermentation  will  commence  is  uncertain.  Some- 
times not  till  after  a  week,  or  even  a  month,  in  cold 
weather.  Agitation  in  a  carriage  will,  however, 
speedily  bring  on  fermentation. 
.2-2 


170  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEAI-ENT 

"'The  continuance  of  the  vinous  fermentation  is 
as  uncertain  as  its  beginning.  Liquor  which  has 
been  cayitated  by  transportation  will  pass  througli 
it  perhaps  the  same  day.  But  other  liquors,  less 
agitated,  seldom  go  through  it  under  two  or  three 
days,  and  sometimes  will  continue  in  fermentation 
five  or  six  days.  With  regard  to  ascertaining  the 
degree  of  fermentation  which  cider  has  undergone, 
whetlier  not  great  enough,  or  exactly  right,  or  too 
great,  I  have  not  been  able,'  says  this  writer,  '  to 
collect  any  fixed  notions  on  the  subject.  It  is  a 
subject  to  which  most  cider  makers  pay  little  or 
no  attention.  It  is  true,  the  manufacturers  of  sweet 
cider  pay  some  attention  to  fermentation.  Their 
whole  art  consists  not  in  regulating,  but  in  checking 
the  fermentation  as  far  as  possible. 

"  '  Fermentation  operates  ditlerently  on  different 
ciders.  Thus  that  which  is  made  of  ripe  fruit 
throws  up  a  gross  spume  or  froth,  like  malt  liquors, 
forming  a  brown  crust.  The  riper  the  fruit,  the 
more  of  this  brown  froth  or  scum  is  thrown  up. 

"*  Having  remained  some  days  on  the  lees,  it  is 
drawn  off  into  fresh  casks.  Some  men  wait,  before 
they  rack  their  cider,  till  the  brown  crust  begins  to 
crack.  Others  prefer  to  rack  before  the  fermenta- 
tion is  entirely  over.  The  makers  of  perry  rack  it 
off  when  it  has  done  hissing.  The  manufacturers 
of  sweet  liquors  will  not  permit  them  even  to  hiss. 
They  keep  up  the  process  of  racking,  which  certain- 
ly checks  the  fermentation. 

" '  The  fresh  casks  into  which  cider  has  been  rack 
ed,  are  never  quite  filled.  This  is  general  practice. 
They  are  left  short  about  a  pailful,  so  that  you 
can  just  touch  the  liquor  with  the  end  of  your  fin- 
ger. 

"  'The  number  of  rackings  depends  on  the  state  of 
the  liquor.  If  the  fresh  fermentation,  which  most- 
ly commences  after  the  racking,  be  violent,  it  is  un- 
derstood generally  that  the  liquor  should  be  racked 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  171 

again.     Hence,  in  the  practice  of  some  men  it  is 
racked  five  or  six  times. 

"  'On  the  other  hand,  if  the  fermentation  is  mode- 
rate, it  is  commonly  suffered  to  remain  after  the 
first  racking.  In  the  common  practice  of  farmers, 
(English  farmers,)  it  is  racked  but  once.  (In  our 
practice,  speaking  of  farmers  generally,  it  is  not  rack- 
ed at  all,  but  suffered  to  remain  in  its  tirst  lees.) 
Those  who  prepare  cider  for  sale,  always  think  it 
prudent  to  repeat  the  rackings  till  the  liquor  is 
quiet  ,  If  this  cannot  be  readily  brought  about, 
they  have  recourse  to  stumming.  Stumming  is 
burning  matches  covered  with  sulphur  within  the 
cask.  The  match  is  let  down  into  the  cask  light- 
ed, and  the  cask  is  thus  filled  with  the  fumes  of 
sulphur.  The  cask  is  suifered  to  remain  three  hours, 
before  the  liquor  's  put  into  it.  JVinety-nine  casks 
in  a  hundred  m  the  country,  (Great  Britain,)  go 
through  this  process. 

"'But  there  are  some  persons  who  prefer  ferment- 
ing their  cider  in  open  vats  or  tubs.  Some  do  it  in 
deep  tubs,  but  the  most  approved  mode  is  in  shal- 
low vats,  five  feet  m  diameter,  and  not  more  than 
two  deep,  each  containing  about  eight  barrels.  In 
these  the  liquor  remains  till  it  has  done  rising;  when 
it  is  racked  off  without  skimming,  (being  drawn  off 
from  the  bottom.)  In  this  case,  it  seldom  is  rack- 
ed a  second  time. 

"'There  are  three  species  of  fermentation. 

'' '  The  vinous,  which  gives  the  liquor  the  body  and 
qualities  of  wine. 

" '  The  acetous,  which  produces  vinegar. 

"'  The  putrid,  which  utterly  destroys  its  use. 

("'  The  cider  in  our  country  rarely  stops  at  the 
first  stage.  It  is  nine  times  in  ten  advanced  far  to 
the  vinegar  state.)  The  juices  of  fruits,  with  mo- 
derate heat  and  fermentation,  will  readily  pass  into 
the  vinous  state.  They  will,  if  left  open  and  not 
attended  to,  soon  after  pass  into  the  acetous  or  acid 


172  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

state ;  and  if  neglected,  the  putrid  state  will  en- 
sue. 

" '  The  object  then  is,  to  bring  on  the  vinous  state, 
and  to  preserve  the  liquor  in  that  condition. 

" '  The  first  effect  of"  vinous  fermentation  is  to  in- 
crease the  strength  of  the  liquor,  furnishing  it  with 
an  intoxicating  quality,  which  it  did  not  before  pos- 
sess, and  changing  its  medical  properties.  Another 
effect  is,  to  lessen  or  destroy  the  sweetness  of  the 
liquor;  some  prefer  rough,  and  some  sweet  liquors. 

*' '  To  produce  rough  liquors,  choose  austere  and 
sour  fruits.  To  produce  sweet  ones,  choose  sweet 
and  luscious  fruits,  and  check  the  fermentation  by 
racking.  The  effect  of  racking  is,  to  prevent  the 
progress  of  fermentation.  Filtering  a  liquor,  drop 
by  drop,  is  found  to  destroy  fermentation. 

" '  Much  is  added  by  this  author,  on  the  subject  of 
amending  cider  which  is  bad  or  weak,  but  as  this 
more  properly  belongs  to  the  retailer  of  cider  than 
to  the  farmer,  we  shall  at  present  omit  it.'  (Mar- 
shall's Rural  Economy  abridged.) 

"  Such  are  the  general  practices  prevalent  in  the 
cider  counties  of  Great  Britain.  The  effect,  every 
man  who  has  been  in  that  country  knows,  is  the 
production  of  a  much  finer,  more  vinous  and  fine 
flavoured  liquor  than  we  usually  have,  not  better 
than  we  can,  and  than  many  persons  do  produce. 
That  this  practice,  to  us  apparently  elaborate  and 
expensive,  is  adopted  in  other  countries,  where  the 
farmer  has  less  inducement  from  prices  than  in  Great 
Britain  or  America,  will  appear  from  the  following 
extracts  from  the  '  Abbe  Hosier's  complete  course 
of  airriculture  in  France.' 

" '  Every  one  has  his  own  mode  of  makmg  cider,' 
says  this  author,  '  and  every  one  boasts  of  it  as  the 
best.  But  they  are  all  reduced  to  the  following 
conditions  :  that  is,  they  all  agree  in  these  opinions:. 

"'1.  To  grind  the  apples  most  thoroughly. 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  173 

^'  2.  To  leave  the  pumice  at  least  six  hours  before 
it  is  pressed,  in  order  to  colour  the  juice. 

"  (3.  Is  a  description  of  their  mode  of  making  the 
cheese,  which  is  the  same  nearly  with  that  of  New 
England  and  Great  Britain.) 

"'4.  The  barrels,  nearly  full  ^  are  placed  in  a  situa- 
tion where  the  fermentatjon  will  be  moderate,  (that 
is,  in  a  cool  place.)  The  barrels  should  be  filled 
from  time  to  time  as  the  froth  is  thrown  out.  But 
when  the  fermentation  is  done,  you  must  bung  up 
the  barrels,  and  if  they  are  to  be  moved,  they  must 
be  racked  ojf  into  other  casks,  in  order  that  the  lees 
may  not  mix  with  the  other  cider. 

" '  But,'  says  this  same  French  author, '  if  you  have 
any  vats  near  the  press,  into  which  you  can  pour 
the  liquor,  vats  which  will  contain  from  twelve  to 
twenty  barrels,  you  will  place  all  the  cider  in  them. 
It  remains  in  these  open  vats  three  or  four  days 
without  fermenting,  after  which  it  ferments  strong- 
ly. All  the  lees  mount,  as  they  do  in  wine,  to  the 
top;  and  when  they  have  all  ascended,  and  the 
crust  is  formed,  you  draw  oif  the  liquor  by  a  tap 
below.' 

"This  author  then  proceeds  to  detail  a  method 
of  racking  very  much  like  that  of  Great  Britain,  of 
which  we  have  given  so  detailed  an  account. 

"  We  could  fill  one  of  our  numbers  with  extracts 
from  foreign  writers  on  this  subject.  It  should  not 
be  thought  derogatory  to  us  to  borrow  from  them 
in  the  useful  arts.  They  have  preceded  us  many 
centuries,  and  it  will  not  do  to  reject  the  lessons  of 
experience.  No  people  avail  themselves  more 
readily,  or  carry  the  improvements  of  other  nations 
further  than  we  do.  The  manufacture  of  cider 
(for  it  is  a  manufacture)  it  still  with  us  in  its  infan- 
cy. We  have  not  only  much,  but  every  thing  to 
learn  on  the  subject.  I  speak  of  the  people  at 
large  :  of  our  farming  practice  generally. 


174  ch;lture  and  biakagement 

"  Our  cider  is  the  worst  article  we  produce.  Our 
hay,  potatoes,  grain,  and  fruit,  do  not  depend  on 
ourselves.  They  are  the  gifts  of  God,  the  produc- 
tions of  his  goodness,  which  we  call  nature.  Our 
butter,  cheese,  and  cider  are  partially  the  result  of 
our  own  industry.  The  two  former  are  often  in- 
different enough,  yet,  with  some  important  exce{> 
tions,  they  are  in  a  state  of  improvement.  Our  ci- 
der is  not  improving;  we  have  of  late  learned  to 
treat  it  b^ter  in  great  towns,  but  the  farmers,  whose 
interests  we  espouse, drink  a  miserable  liquor  instead 
of  an  excellent  one,  which  they  might  have ;  they 
obtain  a  reduced  price  for  the  article,  in  consequence 
of  the  bad  state  in  which  it  is  brought  to  market. 

"  It  would  appear  irom  the  above  extracts  from 
the  works  of  the  most  celebrated  writers  in  the 
best  farming  countries  of  Europe,  that  more  ought 
to  be  done  at  the  press,  and  less  at  the  cider  cellars 
of  the  cities.  We  get,  to  be  sure,  a  clear,  but  a 
medicated  and  factitous  liquor,  easily  discernible  by 
men  acquainted  with  the  subject.  The  improve- 
ment, if  we  have  any,  must  originate  at  the  cider 
press,  and  the  Jarmer  must  reap  the  profit,  not  the 
retailer,  who  sells  it  at  thirty  dollars  per  barrel. 

"  The  difficulty  now  is,  that  families  are  compell- 
ed to  go  through  this  process  of  racking  their  cider 
frequently,  and  refining  it,  after  all  which  they  are 
not  sure  of  having  it  good,  and  of  course  prefer  to 
pay  the  retailers  three  dollars  a  dozen  for  bottled 
cider. 

*'  The  price  of  the  cider  paid  to  the  farmer  will 
always  be  regulated  by  the  risk  of  its  being  good, 
and  the  trouble  required  to  make  it  so.  If  the  farm- 
ers could  reduce  the  liquor  into  a  vinous  state,  and 
it  is  much  more  easily  done  before  the  agitation  of 
a  removal,  before  it  is  transported  to  market,  they 
would  obtain  five  and  even  ten  dollars  a  barrel  in- 
stead of  three.  I  have  no  hesitation  to  say,  that 
cider  not  only  reduced  to  the  vinous  state,  but  re- 


OP    FRUIT    TREBS.  175 

fined,  would  more  readily  bring  from  five  to  ten 
dollars  a  barrel  than  it  now  does  three. 

"  Something  too  must  be  allowed  for  the  addition 
to  their  own  comfort  and  enjoyment.  With  three 
days  labour  of  one  man,  forty  barrels  of  cider  may 
be  sufficiently  attended  to,  racked  one  or  more  times, 
the  casks  rinsed,  and  stummed  with  sulphur;  then 
the  farmer  would  never  have  to  resort  to  foreign 
liquor  to  regale  his  friends.  A  good  bottle  of  cider 
is  often  equal  to  the  best  Champagne,  the  most  po- 
pular wine  of  France. 

"  It  may  be  thought  that  the  rules  above  extract- 
ed are  too  numerous,  and  too  complicated.  We 
shall  show  that  they  are  essentially  reducible  to  a 
few,  and  yet  they  are  mostly  such  as  we  are  not  in 
the  practice  of  adopting.  If  this  publication  shall 
have  the  effect  of  inducing  one  publick  spirited  man 
in  each  town,  to  adopt  all  or  any  of  these  recom- 
mendations, our  object  will  have  been  answered. 

"  The  rules  may  be  reduced  to  the  following,  the 
respective  importance  of  which  we  shall  notice  as 
we  proceed. 

"  First.  '  Apple  orchards  ought  to  be  planted  with 
the  same  kinds  of  fruit,  or  with  fruits  which  ripen 
as  nearly  together  as  possible.' 

"  This,  though  valuable,  is  not  among  the  most- 
important  rules.  It  is,  however,  very  important 
that  there  should  be  no  early  summer  or  autumn 
apples  in-  the  cider  orchard. 

"  Two  or  three  trees  near  the  house  for  early 
fruit  may  not  be  amiss,  but  for  cider  they  are  gene- 
rally lost  and  vv'asted. 

"  Second  rule.  The  apples,  whenever  gathered, 
should  be  put  for  some  time  in  piles,  and  before  thev 
are  pressed,  should  be  sorted,  and  not  only  the  rot- 
ten ones  separated,  but  those  only  ground  together 
which  are  of  a  uniform  and  equal  degree  of  ripe- 
ness. The  first  part  of  this  rule  is  followed  witli 
us;  the  second  is  but  too  much  neglected.   - 


176  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

"  Third  rule.  The  pumice  should  be  suffered  to 
stand  from  six  to  twenty-four  hours,  according  as 
you  may  wish  to  give  a  higher  or  paler  colour  to 
your  cider.  But  in  our  climate,  if  the  weather  is 
hot,  it  should  be  turned  frequently,  to  prevent  fer- 
mentation. 

"Fourth  rule.  The  first  runnings  of  the  press 
should  be  kept  separate,  being  a  superiour  quality 
of  cider. 

"  This,  it  is  believed,  is  seldom  attended  to.  Bar- 
rels warranted  of  this  sort  ought  to  fetch,  and  after 
a  short  time,  would  fetch  a  greater  price. 

"Fifth  rule.  Where  the  farmer  is  rich  and  fore- 
handed, it  is  advisable  to  have  a  vat  made  near  the 
press,  which  will  contain  from  eight  to  twenty  bar- 
rels. This  may  be  made  either  square  or  round. 
Into  this  vat  the  cider,  as  it  is  made,  should  be  turn- 
ed, and  suffered  to  work  off  in  the  open  air.  This 
will  save  much  future  trouble.  There  should  be  a 
cock,  or  tap  and  faucet,  near  the  bottom,  to  draw  off 
the  cider  when  the  scum  or  crust  is  perfectly  form- 
ed. 

"But  lastly.  If  farmers  will  not  go  to  this  ex- 
pense, they  should  leave  their  barrels  not  full  by  a 
gallon  or  two,  and  as  they  work  off,  they  should  fill 
them  up,  and  after  they  have  done  working,  rack 
them  into  other  casks.  This  should  always  be 
done  before  they  are  sent  to  market,  or  put  into 
the  place  where  they  are  to  remain.  Removing 
them  before  they  are  worked  produces  an  agitation 
often  fatal  to  the  cider. 

"Such  is  the  invariable  practice  as  to  wine. 
There  is  no  difference  between  the  two  liquors,  ex- 
cept the  fruit  from  which  they  are  made.  They 
undergo  the  same  process  of  fermentation.  Wine, 
if  neglected  as  we  do  our  cider,  would  be  an  acid 
and  vile  liquor. 

"  If  these  ideas  shall  contribute  to  give  informa- 
tion to  those  who  have  not  books  at  command,  I 
shall  be  happy." 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  177 


MEDICINAL  PROPERTIES  OF  CIDER. 

This  excellent  liquor  contains  a  small  proportioD 
of  spirit,  but  so  diluted  and  blunted,  by  being  com- 
bined with  a  large  quantity  of  saccharine  matter 
and  water,  as  to  be  perfectly  wholesome.  When 
of  a  proper  age  and  well  refined,  pure  cider  may 
be  considered  as  a  pleasant  and  salutary  beverage, 
and  calculated  to  obviate  a  putrid  tendency  in  the 
humours. 

V  Strong,  astringent  cider,  well  impregnated  with 
fixed  air  in  bottles,  has  been  found  of  great  utility 
in  various  diseases.  In  low  fevers  of  the  putrid 
kind,  it  is  not  merely  a  good  substitute,  but  is  equal- 
ly efficacious  with  port,  or  other  foreign  wines. 

"  Excellent  brandy  is  made  from  apples  in  the 
United  States,  notwithstanding  what  Chaptel  has 
said  on  the  subject.  If  carefully  distilled  from 
sound  apples,  and  kept  a  few  years  in  a  warm  situa- 
tion, it  is  very  agreeable,  when  diluted  with  water. 
One  wineglass  full,  added  to  a  half  gallon  bowl  of 
punch,  highly  improves  the  flavour  of  that  drink." 

POMONA  WINE. 

"  It  is  said  that  several  of  the  agricultural  socie- 
ties have  adopted  regulations  for  the  encourage- 
ment of  American  beverage,  at  their  annual  jubi- 
lees. Currant  wine  is  to  be  substituted  for  claret ; 
and  the  great  staple  of  New  England,  cider^  is 
to  be  substituted  for  Madeira.  The  following  is  a 
receipt  to  make  it : 

"  Take  cider,  made  of  sound  apples,  sweet  from 
the  press,  and  leach  it  through  a  barrel  filled  with 
clean  dry  sand.  After  it  has  passed  through,  care- 
fully drain  it  ofi'  into  a  brass  or  copper  kettle,  in 
which  it  must  be  boiled  one  hour  over  a  slow 
23 


178  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

fire,  and  skimmed  clean.  After  it  has  been  taken 
off  and  cooled,  strain  it  through  a  fine  cloth,  and 
put  it  into  a  cask  that  is  perfectly  clean.  Set  it  in  a 
cool  part  of  the  cellar,  and  let  it  remain  five  or  six 
weeks,  when  one  quart  of  best  French  brandy,  and 
one  pound  of  raisins  must  be  added  to  eight  gal- 
lons. 

"  It  ought  to  be  made  a  year,  at  least,  before  it 
is  used.  It  is  needless  to  state  that  the  quality  of 
the  liquor  will  be  improved  by  age." 

"  This  American  process  has,  of  late  years,  been 
imitated  in  the  cider  counties,  and  particularly 
in  the  west  of  England,  where  several  hundred 
hogsheads  of  cider  wine  are  annually  prepared ;  and 
being  supposed  to  contain  no  particles  of  copper, 
from  the  vessels  in  which  it  is  boiled,  the  country 
people  consider  it  as  perfectly  wholesome,  and  ac- 
cordingly drink  it  without  apprehension.  In  order 
to  ascertain  the  truth,  various  experiuients  were 
instituted  by  the  late  Dr.  Fothergill ;  from  the  re- 
sult of  which  he  proved  that  cider  wine  does  con- 
tain a  minute  portion  of  copper,  which,  though  not 
very  considerable,  is  sufficient  to  caution  the  pub- 
lick  against  a  liquor  that  comes  in  so  very  ques- 
tionable a  shape.  Independently,  however,  of  the 
danger  arising  from  any  metallick  impregnation,  we 
doubt  whether  the  process  of  preparing  boiled 
wines  be  useful,  or  reconcileable  to  economy.  The 
evaporation  of  the  apple  juice  by  long  boiling,  not 
only  occasions  an  unnecessary  consumption  of  fuel, 
but  also  volatilizes  the  most  essential  particles, 
without  which  the  liquor  cannot  undergo  a  com- 
plete fermentation,  so  that  there  can  be  no  perfect 
wine.  Hence  this  liquor  is,  like  all  other  boiled 
wines,  crude,  heavy  and  flat ;  it  generally  causes 
indigestion,  flatulency  and  diarrhoea.  Those  ama- 
teurs, however,  who  are  determined  to  prepare  it, 
ought   at  least  to  banish  all  brass  and  copper  ves- 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  179 

sels  from  this  as  well  as  from  every  other  cuhnary 
process."     (Mease.) 

The  most  valuable  liquor  to  be  obtained  from 
apples,  unquestionably,  is  the  cider  wine  made  ac- 
cording to  the  following  process. 

APPROVED  METHOD  OF  MAKING  WINE  FROM  CIDER. 

To  one  barrel  of  cider,  when  just  from  the  press, 
add  half  a  pound  of  su£:ar  to  each  gallon,  and  two 
gallons  of  brandy,  West  India  spirit,  or  cider  bran- 
dy. The  cask  must  be  lii^htly  stopped,  and  filled 
up  every  day,  while  fermenting,  for  four  or  five 
days,  and  then  stopped  tight  and  put  into  a  cool 
cellar.  In  three  or  four  months  rack  it  oOf,  and  add 
two  gallons  more  of  brandy  to  each  barrel.  Take 
one  quarter  of  a  pound  of  burnt  alum,  six  whites 
of  eggs,  and  one  pint  of  clean  sand,  mixed  together, 
and  put  them  into  the  barrel  when  racked,  to  cla- 
rity. When  racking,  the  liquor  must  be  kept  from 
foaming,  by  letting  it  run  down  on  a  thin  board; 
and  when  the  cask  is  about  half  full,  while  rack- 
ing, a  match  of  sulphur  must  be  burned  in  it,  and 
then  the  cask  stopped  close  and  shook,  so  that  the 
smoke  may  incorporate  with  the  liquor.  In  one 
year  this  will  be  equal  to  sherry  wine,  and  in  two, 
equal  to  the  best  Madeira.  Having  made  one  cask 
of  this  kind  a  few  years  since,  it  so  far  exceeded 
my  expectations,  that  I  can  with  confidence  and 
pleasure  recommend  it  to  general  notice,  as  a  liquor 
possessing  the  qualities  of  a  sprightly,. cordial  wine, 
the  cheap  produce  of  our  own  farms,  and  free  from 
any  deleterious  metallick  impregnation. 


180  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 


OF  PEARS. 

It  is  no  longer  questionable  that  the  pear  tree  ig 
well  adapted  to  the  climate  and  soil  of  New  Eng- 
land. Although  much  neglected  by  our  farmers 
generally,  numerous  varieties  are  cultivated  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  Massachusetts,  in  great  perfection. 
All  the  varieties  of  the  pear  are  hardy  and  long- 
lived,  and  will  flourish  in  a  clay  or  loamy  soil,  but 
wet  situations  are  unfavourable.  Most  of  the 
directions  already  detailed,  relative  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  apple  tree,  may  be  applied  to  that  of 
the  pear  tree.  The  production  of  particular  va- 
rieties from  the  seed  is  equally  capricious,  and  the 
annihilation  of  certain  kinds  from  long  duration,  is 
supposed  to  be  no  less  remarkable  than  in  the 
apple.  The  propagation  of  particular  species  is 
effected  by  grafting  or  budding,  and  by  this  method 
any  desired  variety  may  be  obtained  and  perpetuat- 
ed. Considerable  attention  is  necessary  in  the 
choice  of  stocks  for  grafting.  Suckers  from  other 
trees  should  never  be  employed,  as  they  will  have 
a  constant  tendency  to  generate  suckers,  to  the  in- 
jury of  the  tree.  It  should  be  observed,  to  graft 
or  bud  summer  pears  only  upon  summer  pear 
stocks ;  autumn  pears  upon  stocks  of  the  same 
kind ;  but  never  graft  a  winter  pear  upon  a  sum- 
mer pear  stock,  for  the  sap  of  the  summer  pear 
will  decline  or  diminish,  before  the  winter  fruit  has 
sufficient  time  to  mature  and  ripen.  Every  plan- 
ter should  keep  a  nursery  of  free  stocks,  by  plant- 
ing the  seeds  of  the  different  varieties,  and  these 
j  should  be  taken  from  fair  and  choice  fruit,  and  in 
j  their  ripe  state.  The  season  for  grafting  or  bud- 
/  ding,  and  the  manner  of  performing  the  operation, 
are  the  same  as  already  described  for  the  apple. 
The  pear  tree  will  succeed  very  well,  when  graft't 


eF    FRUIT    TREES.  18 1 

ed  on  a  quince ;  in  which  case,  it  is  preferable  to 
graft  under  ground  in  the  root,  as  the  tree  will  be 
more  strong  and  vigorous ;  whereas,  if  grafted 
above  the  surface,  the  produce  will  be  a  dwarf 
tree.  In  transplanting  pear  trees,  we  are  advised, 
when  the  soil  is  drj  and  sandy,  to  perform  the 
business  in  autumn,  and  they  will  gain  root  fibres 
enough  to  support  them,  before  winter,  and  will 
shoot  in  the  spring  better  than  those  which  are 
planted  in  April.  But  in  moist  places,  it  is  best  to 
dig  the  holes  in  autumn,  and  plant  in  April,  as  the 
cold  of  winter  might  greatly  injure  them.  The 
soil  for  pear  trees  ought  to  be  two  or  three  feet 
deep,  and  they  should  be  planted  shallow,  that  the 
roots  may  spread  near  the  surface,  and  enjoy  the 
benefit  of  the  sun  and  air ;  and  by  some  it  is  ac- 
counted useful  to  expose  the  same  side  to  the  sun 
as  when  in  the  nursery.  Pear  trees  require  but 
little  pruning,  comparatively  with  the  apple,  and 
if  carried  to  excess,  it  proves  very  injurious.  All 
dead  branches,  however,  and  even  thrifty  ones, 
Avhich  interfere  and  chafe  each  other,  and  every 
sucker  proceeding  from  the  trunk  or  roots,  should 
be  carefully  removed.  Every  large  wound  should  be 
covered  with  the  composition  or  cement,  as  a  securi- 
ty against  the  effects  of  the  sun  and  weather.  If 
affected  with  diseases,  or  infested  with  insects,  the 
appropriate  remedies,  recommended  for  apple  trees, 
must  be  applied.  In  the  Agricultural  Repository, 
vol.  iv.  is  a  communication  from  Mr.  Hammon,  of 
Talbot  county,  Maryland,  to  the  following  purport. 
"Pear  trees,  and  other  fruit  trees,  are  frequently  af- 
fected, and  sometimes  suddenly  decay,  without  disco- 
vering the  causes  of  their  decline.  A  gentleman  of 
this  neighbourhood,  some  years  ago,  observing  the 
situation  of  his  trees,  and  having  unsuccessfully  used 
many  applications,  at  length  directed  their  trunks 
or  bodies  to  be  washed  with  soft  soap  ;  and  it  is 
not  easy  to  imagine  the  early  change  which  appear- 


182  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

ed  in  the  bark  and  foliao^e :  the  bark  became 
smooth  and  glossy,  and  seemed  sound  and  beauti- 
ful ;  and  he  thought  the  tree  was  greatly  improved 
in  every  respect.  I  have  tried  the  same  experi- 
ment, and  with  equal  advantage  to  apple  trees; 
and  am  [)ersuaded  they  have  been  greatly  bene- 
fited by  this  process.  It  is  used  in  the  spring,  and 
may  be  repeated  in  the  following  years,  as  fre- 
quently as  the  trees  appear  to  require  it.  Mr. 
Peters  declares,  that  he  used  soap  suds  without 
beneficial  effects  :  but  it  is  probable  that  the  soft 
soap  in  substance  is  more  powerful,  and  that  hav- 
ing more  strength  and  virtue  than  the  suds,  as  com- 
monly made,  it  may  more  effectually  destroy  the 
worms,  bugs,  and  other  insects,  which  so  materially 
injure  the  trees ;  and  it  is  believed  to  be  in  conse- 
quence of  their  destruction,  that  the  bark  and 
branches  are  enabled  to  derive  so  much  improve- 
ment from  the  application  of  this  substance." 

Mr.  Forsyth's  treatise  contains  his  method  of 
managing  diseased  pear  trees,  and  such  as  were 
unfruitful  from  decay,  and  has  clearly  demonstrat- 
ed, that  the  quantity  of  fruit  was  thereby  remarka- 
bly increased,  and  the  quality  greatly  improved. 
When  old  trees  are  affected  with  canker,  or  other- 
wise diseased,  by  which  they  are  rendered  unpro- 
ductive, his  practice  is,  to  head  them  down  in  May 
or  June,  as  near  as  possible  to  where  they  were 
engrafted.  By  this  method  the  young  shoots  soon 
sprout  forth,  and  grow  so  rapidly,  that  in  two  or 
three  years  they  bear  fruit  most  abundantly.  Mr. 
F.  illustrates  his  practical  principles  by  two  or 
three  striking  examples,  and  by  plates  representing 
the  trees  and  fruit.  One  of  the  first  four  which 
he  headed  down,  was  a  Saint  Germain,  which  pro- 
duced nineteen  fine,  large,  well-flavoured  pears  the 
next  year,  and  in  the  third,  bore  more  fruit  than  it 
did  in  its  former  state,  when  it  was  four  times  the 
size.     Another  bore  four  hundred  pears  the  second 


OP  FRUIT  TREES.  183 

year;  and  he  finally  found,  that  the  trees  headed 
down  bore  upwards  of  five  times  tlie  quantity  of 
fruit  that  the  others  did;  and  it  keeps  increasing, 
in  proportion  to  the  prooress  of  the  trees.  "  On 
the  20th  of  June,"  says  Mr.  F.,  "  I  headed  several 
standards  that  were  almost  destroyed  by  the  can- 
ker ;  some  of  them  were  so  loaded  with  fruit  the 
following  year,  that  I  was  obliged  to  prop  the 
branches,  to  prevent  their  being  broken  down  by 
the  weight  of  it.  In  the  fourth  year  afterwards, 
one  of  them  bore  two  thousand  eight  hundred  and 
forty  pears,  while  another  tree,  not  headed  down, 
growing  by  its  side,  being  twenty  years  old,  bore 
five  hundred  pears,  which  was  a  good  crop  for  its 
size  :  so  that  there  were  on  the  old  tree,  which  had 
been  headed  down  not  quite  four  vears,  two  thou- 
sand three  hundred  and  i'orty  more  than  on  the  tree 
of  twenty  years  growth." 

The  following  is  Mr.  Forsyth's  method  of  train- 
ing the  trees,  that  are  cut  near  the  place  where 
they  were  grafted  Every  year,  in  the  month  of 
March,  (April  or  May  for  our  climate,)  he  shor- 
tens the  leading  shoot  to  a  foot  or  eighteen  inches, 
according  to  its  strength.  This  shoot  will,  if  the 
tree  be  strong,  grow  from  five  to  seven  feet  long 
in  one  season;  and,  if  left  to  nature,  would  run  up 
without  throwing  out  side  shoots.  The  reason  for 
thus  shortening  the  leading  shoot  is,  to  make  it 
throw  out  side  shoots ;  and  if  it  be  done  close  to  a 
bud,  it  will  frequently  cover  the  cut  in  one  season. 
When  the  shoots  are  very  strong,  he  cuts  the 
leading  shoot  twice  in  one  season  :  by  this  me- 
thod he  gets  two  sets  of  side  shoots  in  one  year, 
which  enables  him  the  sooner  to  fill  the  tree.  The 
first  cutting  is  performed  any  time  during  the 
spring,  and  the  second  about  the  middle  of  June. 
When  you  prune  the  trees,  and  cut  the  fore-right 
shoots  in  x\pril,  always  cut  close  to  an  eye  or  bud, 
observing  where   you  see  the  greatest   number  of 


184  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

leaves  at  the  lower  bud,  and  cut  at  them ;  for,  at 
the  foot-stalk  of  every  one  of  these,  will  be  pro- 
duced a  flower  bud.  You  will  have  in  some  sorts 
of  pears,  in  a  favourable  season,  from  five  to  nine 
pears  in  a  cluster.  T?».is  cutting  should  not  be 
later  than  April,  on  account  of  the  leading  shoot 
beginning  to  grow;  the  next  topping,  when  the 
leading  shoot  grows  quick  enough  to  admit  of  it, 
should  be  about  the  latter  end  of  June ;  and  the 
length  of  the  shoots  should  be  according  to  their 
strength,  having  from  three  eyes  or  buds  to  six  on 
a  side.  Mr.  Forsyth  has  been  successful  in  reno- 
vating old  trees  when  in  such  an  advanced  state  of 
decay,  that  very  little,  except  the  bark,  remained. 
He  always  applies  the  composition  to  the  wounds, 
and  when,  on  examination,  the  root  is  found  to  be 
decayed  and  rotten,  he  cuts  away  all  the  dead  part, 
to  the  sound  w^ood,  and  covers  the  wound.  If  the 
above  directions  be  followed,  he  says,  you  will  get 
more  pears  in  three  or  four  years,  than  you  can  in 
twenty-five  years  by  planting  young  trees,  and 
pruning  and  managing  them  in  the  common  way. 
If  it  be  desired  to  change  the  kind  of  fruit,  it  will 
be  easy  to  graft  or  bud  upon  the  young  shoots. 

The  method  recommended  by  Mr.  Knight  for  re- 
claiming old  unproductive  pear  trees  is,  to  cut  away 
all  the  central  branches,  retaining  those  only  that 
are  nearly  horizontal,  and  all  the  spurs  of  these 
must  be  taken  off  closely  with  the  saw  and  chisel. 
Into  the  extremities  of  the  branches  thus  retained 
grafts  are  to  be  inserted  at  proper  distances,  so  as 
to  form  a  new  crown.  It  was  on  an  old  Saint  Ger- 
main pear  tree,  that  had  been  trained  to  the  wall 
in  a  fan  form,  that  he  adopted  this  mode.  As  soon 
in  the  succeeding  summer,  as  the  young  shoots  had 
attained  sufficient  length,  they  were  trained  almost 
perpendicularly  downwards  between  the  larger  branch- 
es and  the  wall,  to  which  they  were  nailed.  In  the 
second   year,  and   subsequently,   the   tree  yielded 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  185 

abundant  crops,  the  fruit  being  equally  dispersed 
over  every  part.  Grafts  of  no  fewer  than  eight 
different  kinds  of  pears  had  been  inserted,  and  all 
afforded  fruit,  and  nearly  in  equal  plenty.  The 
same  mode  is  applicable  to  common  standard  trees. 
By  this  mode,  Mr.  K.  remarks,  the  bearing  bran- 
ches, being  small  and  short,  may  be  changed  every 
three  or  four  years,  till  the  tree  be  a  century  old, 
without  the  loss  of  a  single  crop,  and  the  central 
part,  which  is  almost  necessarily  unproductive  in 
the  fan  mode  of  training,  and  is  apt  to  become  so 
in  the  horizontal,  is  rendered  in  this  way  the  most 
fruitful.  Where  it  is  not  desired  to  change  the 
kind  of  fruit,  nothing  more  of  course  is  necessary 
than  to  take  off  entirely  the  spurs  and  supernume- 
rary large  branches,  leaving  all  blossom  buds  which 
occur,  near  the  extremities  of  the  remaining  bran- 
ches. 

A  pear  tree  brought  from  Holland,  and  planted 
in  the  year  1647,  is  now  in  full  bloom,  standing  in 
the  third  avenue  at  the  intersection  of  Thirteenth 
street,  (New  York.)  This  is  probably  the  oldest 
fruit  tree  in  America.  About  seventy  years  ago 
the  branches  of  the  tree  decayed  and  fell  off;  and 
at  that  time  it  was  supposed  the  tree  was  dying; 
but,  without  any  artificial  means  resorted  to,  new 
shoots  germinated  and  gradually  supplied  the  roots 
of  their  predecessors.  The  tree  now  is  in  full  health 
and  vigour,  and  appears  to  be  not  more  than  thirty 
years  old;  the  fruit  ripens  the  latter  part  of  Au- 
gust, has  a  rich  succulent  flavour,  and  has  been 
known  by  the  name  of  the  spice  pear.  (New  York 
Evening  Post,  May  4,  1020.) 

From  the  pear  is  prepared  a  pleasant  liquor, 
known  under  the  name  of  perry,  which  is  made  in 
the  same  manner  as  cider  from  apples.  In  Eng- 
land, particular  kinds  of  pears  are  cultivated  for  this 
purpose,  and  the  liquor  is  held  in  high  estimation. 
24 


186  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

The  subjoined  list  contains  a  selection,  from  va- 
rious sources,  of  such  as  are  much  esteemed  as  ta- 
ble fruit,  or  will  meet  a  ready  sale  at  market. 

1.  Brockholst  hergamot. — A  delicious  pear,  ripe 
early  in  October. 

2.  Brown  beurre — Is  a  large  and  long  fruit,  of 
brownish  red  colour  next  the  sun,  melting,  and  full 
of  sharp  rich  juice,  slightly  perfumed.  Indeed,  it 
is  one  of  the  best  autumn  pears  we  have.  Ripens 
in  October. 

3.  Caiharine  pear. — Of  this  there  are  several  va- 
rieties, tlic  earhest  of  which  ripens  in  July,  and 
another  kind  in  August.  They  are  considered  well 
deserving  of  cultivation,  as  an  excellent  summer 
fruit  for  the  dessert  and  for  baking.  The  tree 
grows  large,  and  is  very  fruitful. 

4.  Chaumoufcllc,  or  icinter  beurre. — '•  It  is  a  large, 
rich  flavoured,  melting  pear  ;  the  skin  a  little 
rough  ;  often  of  a  pale  green  colour,  but  becoming 
purplish  next  the  sun,  sometimes  with  a  good  deal 
of  red.  Th.c  fruit  is  left  on  the  tree  till  the  close 
approach  of  v.intcr.  It  is  fit  for  eating  in  the  end 
of  November,  and  continues  till  January." 

T).  Colmart,  or  manna  pear — "  Is  large  and  ex- 
cellent :  the  flesh  very  tender  and  melting,  and  the 
juice  grcatiy  sugared.  Both  in  shape  and  quality, 
it  considerably  resembles  the  autumn,  or  English 
bergamot.  It  keeps  through  the  winter,  till  the  end 
oi'  February." 

6.  Crassane,  or  hergamot  crassane — Is  a  pear  of  a 
large  size  and  round  shape,  v.'ith  a  long  stalk:  the 
skin  is  roughish  ;  of  a  greenish  yellow,  when  ripe, 
with  a  russety  coating:  the  flesh  is  very  tender  and 
melting,  and  full  of  a  rich  sugary  juice.  It  is  fit  for 
use  from  the  middle  to  the  end  of  November,  and 
is  one  oi'thc  very  best  pears  of  the  season. 

7.  Easter  beriramot,    or  "  winter  ber<j-ainot — Is  a 

•  •  •  I 

large  roundish  fruit,  of  a  grayish  green  colour,  with 

a  little  red:  the  flesh  between  breaking  and  melt- 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  187 

ing.    The   fruit  is  fit  for  the  table  in  February,  and 
keeps  till  April." 

8.  Garden  pear. — This  ripens  in  November.  It 
is  large  and  rather  long;  the  skin  yellow,  and  Xha 
flesh  yellow,  rich,  and  juicy.  It  is  cultivated  in 
Massachusetts,  and  is  highly  esteemed. 

9.  German  mnscadcl  pear.,  or  muscat  allemand. — 
"  A  noble,  large,  pyramidal  fruit,  with  a  small  blos- 
som on  a  shallow  excavation,  and  rather  a  lona; 
stalk.  When  ripening  on  the  floor,  it  acquires  a 
red  and  yellow  tint.  Its  flesh  is  melting  and  deli- 
cate, full  of  a  spicy,  delicious  juice,  similar  to  that  of 
muscadel  grapes.  Eatable  from  Marcli  till  M  ij. 
The  tree  forms  a  fine  crown,  and  is  exceedingly 
productive." 

10.  Green  summer  sugar  pear,  or  sucre  vert — Has 
a  very  smooth  green  skin;  flesh  melting,  and  the 
juice  sugary,  with  an  agreeable  flavour:  the  tree  is 
a  free  bearer.  Its  period  of  ripening  is  in  Auijust, 
and  it  can  be  preserved  only  a  few  weeks.  The 
tree  bears  fruit  every  year,  and  its  blossoms  resist 
the  most  unfavourable  Aveathcr. 

11.  Grey  butter  pear —      )  Are    well    known     to 

12.  White  butter  pear —  ^  amateurs,  and  deserve 
to  stand  in  every  orchard,  being  excellent  autumnal 
fruits.  The  white  butter  pear  is  also  very  excel- 
-lent  for  culinary  purposes,  even  before  it  attains  to 
m.^turity  by  lying  on  the  floor.  In  a  good  soil,  it 
often  forms  a  very  large  tree;  but  the  gray  butter 
pear  is  of  a  lower  growth,  though  with  more  ex- 
panded branches. 

13.  Jargonelle. — This  is  a  well-known,  fine  sum- 
mer pear,  ripening  in  August.  The  flesh  is  break- 
ing, sweet,  and  has  a  slightly  musky  flavour.  It  is 
best  when  picked  before  fully  ripe,  and  matured  in 
the  house.     The  tree  is  a  general  bearer. 

14.  Little  muscat— Is  of  a  longish  shape,  of  a  yel- 
low colour,  except  next  the  sun,  where  it  is  red. 
Ripe  in  August. 


188  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

15.  Mors  Jean — Is  a  valuable  pear.  It  is  ripe 
about  the  first  of  November,  and  will  last  till  the 
middle  of  December. 

16.  Orange  pear. — This  has  been  long  cultivated 
in  Massachusetts,  and  is  still  a  favourite  fruit  among 
those  who  are  unacquainted  with  the  superiour 
kinds  more  recently  introduced.  The  fruit  is  round- 
ish ;  the  skin  of  a  greenish  colour,  becoming  yel- 
low when  ripe  ;  the  flesh  is  melting,  and  the  juice 
sugary;  the  flavour  pleasantly  perfumed.  It  ripens 
in  August,  and,  like  all  summer  pears,  is  of  short 
duration. 

17.  Pound  pear — "  Is  an  extraordinary  large, 
thick,  oblong  fruit,  of  a  greenish  gray  colour :  it  is 
often  reared  in  the  vicinity  of  buildings,  to  shelter 
its  ponderous  fruit  from  boisterous  winds,  before  it 
has  attained  to  maturity.  Though  its  pulp  be 
somewhat  tough,  it  is  a  very  useful  pear  in  domes- 
tick  economy,  especially  for  drying.  The  tree 
rises  to  a  considerable  height,  and  spreads  its  bran- 
ches ;  is  very  productive,  and  its  blossoms  are  not 
liable  to  be  injured  in  the  spring."  The  fruit  should 
be  suffered  to  remain  on  the  tree  till  frost,  and 
then  preserved  in  the  common  manner,  for  baking 
and  other  culinary  uses.  There  is  a  variety  gene- 
rally called  the  small  pound  pear,  which  acquires 
only  half  the  size  of  the  former,  but  possesses  all 
its  valuable  properties. 

18.  JVon-pareil  bergamot — "  Is  a  considerably 
large  pear,  with  a  green  peel,  containing  a  mel- 
low pulp  of  an  incomparable  aromatick  taste.  It 
becomes  eatable  in  October  and  November.  The 
tree  is   one  of   the  largest  among  the  bergamots." 

19.  Prince'' s  pear — "  Is  a  small  roundish  fruit, 
of  a  yellow  colour,  but  red  next  the  sun  :  flesh  in- 
termediate between  breaking  and  melting :  juice 
high  flavoured.  The  tree  is  generally  a  great 
bearer,  and  the  fruit  will  keep  for  a  fortnight." 


OF  FRUIT  TREE9.  189 

20.  Radish  pear. — "  A  very  superiour  summer 
fruit,  the  juice  of  which  is  so  rich,  refreshing  and 
agreeably  acidulated,  that  it  excels  in  its  kind  the 
gray  butter  pear.  But  as  it  easily  becomes  mealy, 
though  of  a  muscadel  flavour,  when  left  to  ripen  on 
the  tree,  it  ought  to  be  removed,  and  deposited  on 
the  tloor.  The  tree  is  remarkably  fertile,  and  pro- 
duces fruit  in  seasons  when  almost  every  other 
pear  kind  has  failed :  hence  it  deserves  to  be  rear- 
ed, even  in  climates  and  situations  not  very  favoura- 
ble to  orchards ;  as  it  is  of  vigorous  growth,  and 
attains  to  tolerable  size.'' 

21.  Rousseline — "Is  of  a  deep  red  colour,  with 
spots  of  gray  ;  the  flesh  is  very  tender  and  deli- 
cate, and  the  juice  very  sweet,  with  an  agreeable 
perfume.  It  ripens  about  the  latter  end  of  Octo- 
ber, but  will  not  keep." 

22.  Sarasin. — A  valuable  winter  pear,  which 
ought  to  decorate  every  orchard,  as  it  may  be  pre- 
served a  whole  year.  In  shape  and  size  it  resem- 
bles the  brown  Louise,  but  generally  becomes  much 
larger.  Its  red  colour  rises  on  the  south  side  :  when 
it  turns  yellow  in  -Tuly,  acquires  a  buttery  consis- 
tence, and  is  then. eatable.  This  likewise  atTords  an 
excellent  fruit  for  boiling,  drying,  and  other  domes- 
tick  uses.     The  tree  is  tall  and  vigorous." 

23.  Seckle  pear. — In  a  letter  from  professor  Ho- 
sack,  of  New  York,  dated  October,  1818,  to  the 
London  Horticultural  Society,  and  published  in  their 
work,  we  are  favoured  with  the  following  account 
of  this  most  estimable  fruit  : 

"  The  Seckle  pear  is  so  named  from  Mr.  Seckle, 
of  Philadelphia,  who  has  the  credit  of  having  first 
cultivated  it  in  the  vicinity  of  that  city.  It  is  gene- 
rally considered  to  be  a  native  fruit  of  this  coun- 
try, accidentally  produced  from  seed  sown  by  Mr. 
Seckle,  and  the  original  tree  is  said  to  be  still  stand- 
ing on  the  estate  of  that  gentleman.  An  account, 
however,  essentially  different  from  this,  has  been 


190  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEME.NT 

lately  communicated  to  me  by  my  friend  judge 
"Wallace,  of  Burlington,  to  whom  I  recently  paid  a 
visit.  He  stated  to  me,  on  the  authority  of  a  cor- 
respondent in  Philadelphia,  that  the  pear  was  grown 
in  that  neighbourhood,  sixty  years  ago,  by  a  person' 
named  Jacob  Weiss,  who  obtained  the  tree,  with 
many  others,  at  a  settlement  of  Swedes,  which  was 
early  established  near  Philadelphia,  where  Mr. 
Weiss  had  built  a  house.  The  judge  suggested 
the  probability  of  Mr.  Weiss  and  the  father  or 
grandfather  of  Mr.  Seckle  having  been  intimate, 
as  both  families  Avere  German,  and  of  that  rank  in 
society,  which  might  be  likely  to  lead  to  such  an 
acquaintance.  The  conjecture  therefore,  is,  that 
under  such  circumstances,  Mr.  Seckle's  family  ob- 
tained grafts  from  Mr.  Weiss's  tree. 

"  Mr.  Coxe,  in  his  viev/  of  the  cultivation  of  fruit 
trees  in  America,  an  interesting  volume,  which  I 
have  forwarded  to  the  society,  after  assigning  the 
same  origin  as  I  have  stated  in  the  beginning  of 
this  letter,  describes  the  fruit  thus :  '  The  form  and 
appearance  vary  with  aspect,  age  and  cultivation  : 
the  size  generally  is  small ;  the  form  regular,  round 
at  the  blossom  end,  diminishing  Avith  a  gentle  oval 
towards  the  stem,  which  is  rather  short  and  thick  : 
the  skin  is  sometimes  yellow,  with  a  bright  red 
cheek,  and  smooth;  at  other  times,  a  perfect  russet, 
without  any  blush  :  the  flesh  is  melting,  spicy,  and 
most  exquisitely  and  delicately  flavoured.  The 
time  of  ripening  is  from  the  end  of  August  to  the 
middle  of  October.  The  tree  is  singularly  vigorous 
and  beautiful,  of  great  regularity  of  growth  and 
richness  of  foliage,  very  hardy,  possessing  all  the 
characteristicks  of  a  new  variety.  Neither  Ro- 
sier or  De  La  Quintinge  "among  the  French,  nor 
Miller  or  Forsyth  among  the  English  writers,  de- 
scribe such  a  pear  as  the  Seckle;  nor  have  I  found 
one  among  the  intelligent  French  gentlemen  in  our 
country,  who  has  any  knowledge  of  it  in  his  own.' 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  191 

"  I  may  add  to  tlie  above,  that  the  fruit  is  ad- 
mitted by  all  to  be  one  of  the  most  exquisitely 
and  highly  flavoured  Ave  possess.  Its  flavour  is 
very  peculiar,  liaving  a  factitious  aromatick  per- 
fume, rather  than  the  natural  odour  or  taste  of 
fruits.  The  late  general  Moreau  informed  me  that 
he  had  never  tasted  this  fruit  in  France,  the  coun- 
try in  which,  of  all  others,  the  finest  pears  are  cul- 
tivated." 

24.  Skinless  pear,  or  early  ruseht. — This  is  a  long 
shaped,  reddish  coloured  fruit,  with  a  very  thin 
skin  ;  the  flesh  melting,  and  full  of  a  rich  sugary 
juice.     It  ripens  in  Au2:ust. 

25.  Squash  pear. — This  pear  is  cultivated  in 
Massachusetts,  and  Mr.  Coxe  thus  describes  it. 
The  fruit  of  highest  estimation  for  perry  in  Eng- 
land ;  it  is  an  early  pear,  remarkable  for  the  ten- 
derness of  its  flesh  ;  if  it  drops  ripe  from  the  tree, 
it  bursts  from  the  fall;  whence  probably  its  name. 
The  liquor  made  from  it  is  pale,  sweet,  remarka- 
bly clear,  and  of  strong  body;  it  bears  a  price  four- 
fold of  other  perry. 

26.  Saint  Germain — Is  a  large,  long  pear,  of  a 
yellowish  colour  when  ripe  ;  flesh  melting,  and  very 
full  of  juice,  vrith  considerable  flavour.  If  the  tree 
be  planted  on  a  dry  soil,  in  a  Avarm  situation,  and 
trained  against  a  Avail,  it  boars  pretty  freely.  There 
are  two  varieties,  a  spurious  and  the  true;  and  it 
is  believed,  the  former  is  by  much  the  more  gene- 
rally disseminated.  The  true  is  of  French-  origin, 
and  often  is  very  large,  of  a  pyramidal  form,  having 
a  thick  and  dotted  green  skin,  but  which,  Avhile  ri- 
pening on  the  floor,  becomes  yellow.  The  spurious 
fruit  ripens  in  December,  remaining  green  Avhen 
ripe,  and  generally  decays  by  the  end  of  January : 
unless  the  soil  and  season  be  favourable,  it  is  insipid 
and  Avatery  ;  it  is  shorter,  and  its  form  is  subject 
to  more  variations  than  that  of  the  true  variety. 
The  true   St.  Germain  keeps  in  perfection  till  the 


192  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

end  of  March,  and  for  sweetness  and  flavour,  ranks 
among  the  very  best  of  the  winter  pears.  Mr.  Coxe 
complains  that  this  tree,  in  our  cHmate,  is  very  sub- 
ject to  the  fire  bhght,  so  destructive  of  the  finest 
and  most  dehcate  pears  in  this  country ;  and  ob- 
serves that  it  would  be  highly  useful  to  the  culti- 
vators of  fruit  could  the  cause  or  cure  of  this  evil 
be  discovered. 

26.  Saint  MichceVs,  or  yellow  butter  pear. — The 
same  as  the  Doyenne,  or  Dean  pear.  For  the  rich- 
ness of  its  flesh,  and  excellence  of  flavour,  it  is 
said  to  be  inferiour  to  none  except  the  Seckle  ;  and 
few  pears  are  more  admired  and  extensively  culti- 
vated in  the  United  States.  The  fruit  is  large, 
round,  inclining  to  oblong  in  shape,  fair  and  hand- 
some; its  skin  glossy  and  smooth,  resembling  un- 
polished gold ;  occasionally  streaked  and  marked 
with  bright  yellow  spots.  It  displays  either  a 
blush  or  bright  russet  on  the  south  side.  The  flesh 
of  this  luscious  fruit  is  white,  and  the  juice  so  re- 
markablv  cold  that  it  sometimes  oflends  a  weak 
stomach,  and  occasions  eructations.  It  should  be 
gathered  before  it  is  quite  ripe,  and  matured  in  the 
house,  in  order  to  have  it  in  true  perfection  ;  and 
it  may  be  in  use  from  the  beginning  of  September 
to  the  first  part  of  November.  The  tree  does  not 
grow  to  a  large  size,  but  is  an  early  and  never  fail- 
ing bearer. 

27.  Summer  good  Christian — Is  a  large,  oblong 
fruit,  with  a  smooth  and  thin  skin,  of  a  whitish 
green  colour,  but  red  next  the  sun ;  full  of  juice, 
and  of  a  rich  perfumed  flavour.  It  ripens  in  Au- 
gust.     The  tree  is  large,  and  generally  fruitful. 

28.  Virgouleuse. — "  A  delicious  pear,  of  a  pyra- 
midal form,  with  a  deep  bloom,  and  short  fleshy 
stalk.  Its  peel  is  whitish  green,  and,  if  ripening  on 
a  floor,  (from  December  to  March,)  generally  ac- 
quires  a   fine  yellow  tint :  its    pulp  melts   in  the 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  193 

mouth,  yielding  a  copious  aromatick  juice.     The 
tree  grows  to  a  moderate  height." 

29.  Winter  baking  pear. — This  fruit  abounds  in 
Massachusetts,  and  is  much  valued  as  a  baking- 
pear.  It  is  not  eatable  in  a  raw  state,  not  being 
juicy  or  well  flavoured.  It  keeps  well  through  the 
winter,  and  the  flesh,  on  being  baked,  turns  to  a 
fine  red  colour.  The  tree  is  not  large,  but  seldom 
fails  of  affording  an  annual  crop  of  fruit. 

30.  Winter  good  Christian. — The  fruit  is  very 
large  ;  the  flesh  is  tender  and  breaking,  and  is  very 
full  of  a  rich  sugared  juice.  The  fruit  is  in  eating 
from  March  to  June. 

31.  Winter  thorn — (Epine  d'hiver) — "  In  size 
and  shape  is  similar  to  many  kinds  of  egg-pears. 
Its  peel  is  at  first  whitish  gray,  and  turns  yellow 
w^hen  ripening  on  the  floor.  The  pulp  is  mellow, 
sweet,  and  of  a  delicious  aromatick  taste.  This 
pear  is  fit  to  be  eaten  in  November,  and  remains 
sound  till  the  end  of  January.  The  tree  vegetates 
with  great  luxuriance." 


QUINCE  TREE. 

The  quince  may  be  propagated  by  layers,  or 
young  sprouts,  which  must  be  covered  in  the  earth, 
or  by  cuttings  taken  from  the  tree  in  April,  and  set 
into  the  ground  at  proper  distances,  where  they  v/iil 
take  root  the  first  season,  and  they  may  be  trans- 
planted at  pleasure  to  the  place  of  their  ultimate 
destination.  This  tree  may  also  be  propagated  by 
budding  or  grafting;  and,  according  to  Mr.  For- 
syth, trees  thus  obtained  will  bear  sooner  and  be 
more  fruitful  than  those  reared  by  any  other  me- 
thod. Qumce  trees  flourish  best,  and  are  more 
productive  in  a  moist  soil,  though  the  fruit  from 
25 


194  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

those  set  in  dry  situations,  is  said  to  possess  a  finer 
flavour.  The  quince  tree  requires  but  very  Httle 
pruning;  the  most  important  part  of  their  manage- 
ment consists  in  clearing  their  stems  from  suckers, 
and  in  cuttmg  off  such  branches  as  interfere  with 
each  other.  All  luxuriant  shoots  that  strike  up 
from  the  middle  of  the  tree,  must  be  lopped  on, 
to  prevent  the  head  from  being  too  much  crowded 
with  wood,  which  might  impede  the  growth  of  the 
fruit.  If  the  tree  becomes  diseased  or  rotten,  the 
dead  parts  should  be  cut  away,  and  the  composi- 
tion applied,  as  in  apple  trees.  We  are  advised 
to  plant  quince  trees  at  a  good  distance  from  apple 
and  pear  trees,  lest  the  farina  become  mixed,  and 
the  fruits  degenerate.  The  quince  tree  is  liable 
to  the  attack  of  the  worm  borer,  the  same  as  the 
apple  and  peach  tree  ;  and  the  same  remedies  are 
to  be  recommended. 


OF  PEACHES. 

The  soil  and  climate  of  our  southern  and  middle 
states  are  considered  as  peculiarly  congenial  to  the 
growth  of  the  peach  tree,  and,  accordingly,  it  has 
long  been  more  generally  and  extensively  cultivat- 
ed there  than  in  any  other  section  of  the  union. 
It  is  reared  on  every  plantation,  and  not  unfre- 
quently  peach  orchards,  covering  many  acres,  and 
consisting  of  several  thousand  trees,  are  presented 
to  the  view  of  the  traveller.  It  is,  however,  more 
for  the  purpose  of  distillery  than  the  luxury  of  the 
table,  that  this  species  of  fruit  receives  so  much  at- 
tention from  our  southern  brethren;  an  excellent 
and  highly-flavoured  brandy  being  obtained  from  it 
by  distillation.  It  is  exceedingly  to  be  regretted, 
that  the  peach  tree  of  late  years  has  become  liable 


OF   FRUIT    TREES.  195 

to  premature  decay,  and  the  period  of  Its  duration 
is  greatly  diminished,  insomuch,  that  its  continuance 
in  a  healthy  bearing  state  seldom  exceeds  three  or 
four  years.  This  misfortune  is  increased  by  the 
circumstance,  that  a  peach  orchard  cannot  be  rear- 
ed a  second  time  on  the  same  spot,  unless  the  soil 
be  renovated  by  several  years  intermediate  cul- 
ture of  other  crops.  The  soil  best  adapted  to  the 
peach  tree  is  a  mellow,  sandy  loam.  Situations 
naturally  wet,  or  inclining  to  clay,  are  unfavoura- 
ble. Water  should  never  be  suffered  to  stand 
round  the  roots  of  tender  trees,  especially  in  strong 
land,  as  it  is  apt  to  produce  the  mildew,  and  destroy 
them. 

In  England,  peach  trees  are  planted  against  a 
wall,  to  which  their  branches  are  trained,  and 
nailed  either  in  the  fan  form,  or  nearly  horizontal- 
ly, and  being  the  subjects  of  particular  care  and 
culture,  it  is  not  uncommon  for  peach  trees  to  con- 
tinue to  produce  annual  crops  during  forty  years. 

The  propagation  of  peach  trees  is  accomplished 
either  by  planting  the  stones  or  kernels,  or  by  bud- 
ding on  proper  stocks.     By  the  first  method  there 
is  constantly  a  great  tendency  to  deviate  from  the 
nature  of  the   variety  from    which    the   seed  was 
taken,  and   the  variety   may   be  almost  indefinitely 
increased.      In    Maryland    and    Virginia,    this  last 
mode  is  adopted  without  budding,  by  which  nume- 
rous varieties  are  obtained,   and  among   them  are 
found   some   of  superlour  quality.     It,   indeed,  on 
some  occasions  happens,  that  the  same  fruit  is  pro- 
duced with  that  of  the  seed  planted.     The  stones 
are  planted  in  beds  or  drills,  in  October  or  Novem- 
ber, or  they  may  be  preserved  in  sand,  and  planted 
in  March:  in  this  case  the  stones  must  be  broken 
open  without  injuring  the  kernel,  which  Is  the  part 
to  be  planted.     In  one   year   the  seedlings  may  be 
transplanted  in  rows  into  the  nursery,   which  may 
be  done  either  in  autumn  or  spring.     It  is  to  be 


196  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

recollected,  that  neither  the  stones  nor  seedHng 
trees  should  be  planted  on  ground  lately  occupied 
by  peach  trees,  unless  the  whole  of  the  old  roots 
be  removed,  and  fresh  mould  be  put  in  to  supply 
the  place  of  the  old.  But  the  most  certain  me- 
thod of  preserving  a  particular  variety  is  by  bud- 
ding; peach  trees  thus  obtained,  always  afford  fruit 
in  size,  colour,  and  taste,  exactly  similar  to  that  of 
the  tree  from  which  the  bud  was  taken,  and  come 
sooner  into  a  bearing  state.  Stocks,  on  which 
peaches  may  be  budded,  besides  those  of  their 
own  kind,  are  the  almond,  the  apricot,  and  the 
plum.  The  proper  season  for  budding,  is  the  month 
of  August,  and  the  operation  is  to  be  performed 
in  the  manner  directed  for  apples  and  pears.  In 
two  or  three  years  after  budding,  they  bear  fruit. 
In  taking  up  the  young  trees,  care  must  be  taken  to 
preserve  the  roots  as  much  as  possible.  Such 
parts  as  are  bruised  should  be  removed,  and  the 
small  roots  may  be  a  little  shortened.  It  is  impor- 
tant that  the  trees  be  equally  filled  with  side 
shoots  from  top  to  bottom;  for  when  suffered  to 
run  up  in  single  branches,  the  trees  in  general  are 
so  weak  and  spongy,  that  they  are  unable  to  bear 
good  fruit.  Accordingly,  when  the  seedlings  are 
about  one  year  old,  Mr.  Forsyth  recommends  to 
head  them  down  to  five  or  six  buds,  or  otherwise 
to  cut  off  the  extremities  of  the  leading  shoots, 
which  will  make  them  send  out  side  shoots,  and 
form  a  handsome,  fruitful  tree.  None  of  the  shoots 
should  be  suffered  to  grow  too  long  during  the  first 
and  second  years,  which  is  easily  prevented  by 
pinching  off  the  tops  of  them  with  the  fingers  dur- 
ing the  month  of  June.  When  peach  trees  come 
into  a  bearing  state,  they  produce  two  sorts  of 
buds:  where  three  stand  close  together,  the  two 
on  each  side  are  called  flower  or  blossom  buds,  and 
the  central  one  is  called  a  wood  bud.  The  former 
rise  immediately  from  the  eyes  of  the  shoots,  and 


OF   FRUIT   TREES.  197 

are  round,  short,  and  prominent,  while  the  wood, 
or  shoot  buds  are  oblong,  narrow,  and  flattish. 
Sometimes  whole  trees,  or  a  large  proportion  of 
the  branches,  produce  nothing  but  single  flower 
buds,  and  in  pruning,  if  a  shoot  be  cut  otf  at  a  single 
flower  bud,  the  remains  of  it,  as  far  down  as  the 
next  wood  bud,  it  is  said,  will  surely  die  ;  it  must, 
therefore,  be  observ<3d,  as  a  rule,  to  cut  just  above 
the  cluster  of  three  buds,  and  the  wood  bud  will 
shoot  forth  and  become  the  leader,  and  be  prepar- 
ed to  produce  fruit  the  next  year. 

It  is  the  practice  of  Mr.  Forsyth,  when  old 
peach  trees  run  up  too  high  and  thin,  to  cut  them 
down  as  far  back  as  he  can  find  any  shoots  or  buds, 
always  leaving  some  young  shoots  or  buds,  other- 
wise there  will  be  great  risk  of  killing  the  tree. 
If  there  are  a  few  young  shoots,  the  top  may  Avith 
safety  be  cut  ofl'just  above  them,  as  they  will  lead 
the  sap  up,  and  produce  strong  branches,  which 
should  be  topped,  the  same  as  a  young  tree.  The 
operation  should  be  performed  in  the  month  of 
May,  and  the  young  shoots  will  bear  fruit  the  next 
season.  The  composition  must  be  applied  to  the 
wounds,  where  the  old  branches  are  amputated, 
and  the  canker  should  be  carefully  cut  out,  and  any 
part  where  the  gum  is  seen  to  ooze,  or  the  n«w 
wood  will  be  affected  as  it  begins  to  grow.  When 
young  trees  are  overloaded  with  fruit,  it  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  thin  them  out  while  small,  ac- 
cording to  the  strength  of  the  tree. 

"  The  premature  decay  of  peach  trees  has  been 
ascribed  to  various  causes;  by  some,  to  the  dege- 
neracy of  the  soil,  and  neglectmg  to  mature  them 
regularly;  by  others,  to  the  supposed  alteration  of 
the  climate,  the  changes  from  heat  to  cold  being- 
more  sudden  and  violent  now  than  formerly,  when 
the  country  was  more  in  forest.  But  the  true 
causes,  as  detailed  by  Dr.  Mease,  (Dom.  Ency.) 
seem  to  be  the  following." 


198  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

"  Peach  trees  are  liable  to  three  casualties : 

"  ].  The  flj,  that  deposits  eggs  near  the  root, 
and  there  forms  a  worm. 

"  2.  The  bursting  of  the  bark  by  severe  frosts  in 
wet  winters. 

"  3.  The  splitting  off  the  limbs  at  the  fork  of  the 
tree. 

"  The  fly,  which  is  blue,  (but  not  a  wasp,)  be- 
gins its  attack  about  the  middle  of  July,  and  con- 
tinues its  depredations  until  the  middle  of  Septem- 
ber. It  wounds  the  tender  part  of  the  bark,  and 
generally  at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  there  depo- 
siting its  eggs,  which  hatch  into  worms,  that  prey 
upon  the  mucilage  and  tender  part  of  the  bark, 
until  the  communication  between  the  root  and  the 
branches  is  cut  off,  causing  the  death  of  the  tree. 
To  guard  against  this,  raise  a  little  hillock  in  the 
month  of  June,  round  the  tree,  about  a  foot  high, 
so  as  completely  to  cover  that  part  of  the  bark 
kept  moist  and  tender  at  the  surface  of  the  ground. 
This  hillock  will  not  stand  so  long  at  one  height,  as 
to  tender  the  bark  above,  as  the  rain  will  gradually 
wash  it  down  level  with  the  surface,  and  must  be 
raised  again  every  summer." 

"  To  take  out  the  worm,  the  roots  must  be  un- 
covered, and  the  spot  looked  for  where  the  gum 
oozec  out,  following  the  cavity  round  with  the  point 
of  a  knife,  until  you  come  to  the  solid  wood,  and 
lay  the  whole  open:  the  worm  Avill  be  found  with 
a  white  body  and  black  head ;  which  must  be  de- 
stroyed, and  the  holes  carefully  filled  up  with  cow- 
manure,  rendered  adhesive  by  sand  or  lime  core  and 
ashes,  as  directed  by  Forsyth. 

"  Soap  suds,  heated  after  a  family  wash,  and 
poured  on  the  roots  of  trees,  about  the  middle  of 
August,  have  been  used  with  success  in  destroying 
the  eggs,  or  the  young  worm. 

"  According  to  Mr.  John  Ellis,  of  New  Jersey,  the 
injury  arising  from  the  worm  may  be  prevented  in 
the  following  way : 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  199 

"  In  the  spring,  when  the  blossoms  are  out,  clear 
away  the  dirt  so  as  to  expose  the  root  of  the  tree, 
to  the  depth  of  three  inches;  surround  the  tree 
with  straw  about  three  feet  long,  applied  length- 
wise, so  that  it  may  have  a  covering,  one  inch 
thick,  which  extends  to  the  bottom  of  the  hole, 
the  butt  ends  of  the  straw  resting  upon  the  ground 
at  the  bottom ; — bind  this  straw  round  the  tree 
with  three  bands,  one  near  theiop,  one  at  the  mid- 
dle, and  the  third  at  the  surface  of  the  earth;  then 
fill  up  the  hole  at  the  root  with  earth,  and  press  it 
closely  round  the  straw.  When  the  white  frosts 
appear,  the  straw  should  be  removed,  and  the 
tree  remain  uncovered  till  the  blossoms  put  out  in 
the  spring. 

"  By  this  process,  the  fly  is  prevented  from  de- 
positing its  egg  within  three  feet  of  the  root,  and 
although  it  may  place  the  egg  above  that  distance, 
the  worm  travels  so  slow  that  it  cannot  reach  the 
ground  before  frost,  and  therefore  it  is  killed  be- 
fore it  is  able  to  injure  the  tree. 

"  The  truth  of  tlie  principle  is  proved  by  the 
following  fact.  I  practised  this  method  with  a 
large  number  of  peach  trees,  and  they  flourished 
remarkably  well,  without  any  appearance  of  inju- 
ry from  the  worm,  for  several  years,  when  I  was 
induced  to  discontinue  the  straw  with  about  twenty 
of  them.  All  those  which  are  without  the  straw  have 
declined,  while  the  others,  which  have  had  the  straw, 
continue  as  vigorous  as  every     Thus  far  Mr.  E. 

"  To  guard  against  frost,  plant  the  trees  where 
the  water  will  run  ofl",  and  procure  the  sweetest 
and  richest  fruit,  as  the  inferiour  qualities  are  more 
injured  by  cold. 

"  The  splitting  of  the  tree  at  the  forks  is  guard- 
ed against  by  preserving  as  many  upright  branches 
as  can  be  spared,  by  breaking  off,  in  bearing  years, 
more  than  half  the  quantity  of  fruit  while  small, 
and  by  pruning  almost  the  whole  of  every  branch 


200  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

beyond  where  the  fruit  is  set,  leaving  only  a  few 
buds  on  each,  of  the  succeeding  year's  fruit.  The 
size  of  tlie  fruit  is  by  these  means  rendered  larger, 
more  beautiful,  and  of  a  higher  flavour,  and  the 
growth  of  the  tree  is  rendered  more  vigorous." 

"  Mr.  Thomas  Coulter,  of  Bedford  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, gives  the  following  directions  for  cultivat- 
ing peach  trees,  which  he  has  successfully  pursued 
in  Pennsylvania  and  Delaware,  for  forty-five  years. 
See  Trans.  Amer.  Phil.  Soc.  vol.  v. 

"  The  principal  causes  of  peach  trees  dying 
while  young,  are  the  planting,  transplanting,  and 
pruning  the  same  stock ;  which  causes  the  stock  to 
be  open  and  tender,  and  the  bark  of  the  tree  very 
rough :  this  roughness  of  the  bark  gives  opportu- 
nities to  insects  to  lodge  and  breed  in  it ;  and  birds 
search  after  these  insects,  for  their  support,  and 
with  their  sharp  bills,  wound  the  stock  in  many 
places;  from  which  wound  the  sap  of  the  tree  is 
drawn  out,  which  congeals,  and  never  fails  to  kill, 
or  to  render  the  tree  useless,  in  a  few  years.  To 
prevent  which,  transplant  your  peach  trees,  as 
young  as  possible,  where  you  mean  them  to  stand; 
if  in  the  kernel,  so  much  the  better ;  because  in 
that  case  there  will  be  no  check  of  growth,  which 
always  injures  peach  trees.  Plant  peach  trees  six- 
teen feet  apart,  both  ways,  except  you  would  wish 
to  take  your  wagon  through  the  orchard  to  carry 
the  peaclies  away ;  in  that  case,  give  twenty-four 
feet  distance  to  every  fifth  row,  one  way,  after 
transplanting.  You  may  plough  and  harrow 
amongst  your  peaches  for  two  years,  paying  no 
regard  to  wounding  or  tearing  them,  so  that  you  do 
not  take  them  up  by  the  roots.  In  the  month  of 
March,  or  April,  in  the  third  year  after  transplant- 
ing, cut  them  all  of  by  the  ground  ;  plough  and  har- 
row amongst  them  as  before,  taking  special  care 
not  to  wound  or  tear  them  in  the  smallest  degree, 
letting  all   the    sprouts   or  scions  grow,   that  will 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  201 

grow;  cut  none  away,  supposing  six  or  more  should 
come  up  from  the  old  stump ;  the  young  scions  will 
grow  up  to  bearing  trees  on  account  of  the  roots 
being  strong.  Let  no  kind  of  beasts  into  peach 
orchards,  hogs  excepted,  for  fear  of  wounding  the 
trees;  as  the  least  wound  will  greatly  injure  the 
tree,  by  draining  away  that  substance  which  is  the 
life  thereof;  although  the  tree  may  live  many 
years,  the  produce  is  not  so  great,  neither  is  the 
fruit  so  good.  After  the  old  stock  is  cut  away,  the 
third  year  after  transplanting,  the  sprouts  or  scions 
will  grow  up  all  round  the  old  stump,  from  four  to 
six  in  number:  no  more  will  come  to  maturity  than 
the  old  stump  can  support  and  nourish;  the  re- 
mainder will  die  before  ever  they  bear  fruit. 
These  may  be  cut  away,  taking  care  not  to  wound 
any  part  of  any  stock,  or  the  bark.  The  sprouts 
growing  all  round  the  old  stump,  when  loaded  with 
fruit,  will  bend,  and  rest  on  the  ground  in  every 
direction,  without  injuring  any  of  them,  for  many 
years,  all  of  them  being  rooted  in  the  ground  as 
though  they  had  been  planted.  The  stocks  will 
remain  tough,  and  the  bark  smooth,  for  twenty 
years  and  upwards  ;  if  any  of  the  sprouts  or  trees 
from  the  old  stump  should  happen  to  split  off  or 
die,  cut  them,  away ;  they  will  be  supplied  from  the 
ground  by  young  trees,  so  that  you  will  have  trees 
from  the  same  stump  for  one  hundred  years,  as  I 
believe.  I  now  have  trees  thirty-six,  twenty,  ten, 
five,  and  down  to  one  year  old,  all  from  the  same 
stump.  The  young  trees  coming  up,  after  any  of 
the  old  trees  split  off  or  die,  and  are  cut  away,  will 
bear  fruit  the  second  year;  but  this  fruit  will  not 
ripen  so  easily  as  the  fruit  on  the  old  trees  from 
the  same  stem.  Three  years  after  the  trees  are 
cut  off  by  the  ground,  they  will  be  sufficiently  large 
and  bushy  to  shade  the  ground,  so  as  to  prevent 
grass  of  any  kind  from  matting  or  binding  the  sur- 
face, so  as  to  injure  the  trees ;  therefore,  plough- 
26 


202  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

ing  is  useless,  as  well  as  injurious;  useless,  because 
nothing  can  be  raised  in  the  orchard,  by  reason 
the  trees  will  shade  all  the  ground,  or  nearly  so; 
injurious,  because  either  the  roots,  stock,  or  bran- 
ches will  be  Avounded :  neither  is  it  necessary  ever 
to  manure  peach  trees,  as  manured  trees  will  always 
produce  less  and  worse  fruit  than  trees  that  are 
not  manured ;  although  by  manuring  your  peach 
trees,  they  will  grow  larger,  and  look  greener  and 
thicker  in  the  boughs,  and  cause  a  thicker  shade, 
yet  on  them  will  grow  very  little  fruit,  and  that  lit- 
tle will  be  of  a  very  bad  kind — generally  looking 
as  green  as  the  leaves,  even  when  ripe,  and  later 
than  those  that  have  never  been  manured.* 

"  Peach  trees  never  require  a  rich  soil ;  the 
poorer  the  soil,  the  better  the  fruit — a  middling  soil 
produces  a  more  bountiful  crop. 

"  The  highest  ground,  and  the  north  side  of  hills 
is  best  for  peach  trees;  they  keep  back  vegeta- 
tion, by  which  means  the  fruit  is  often  preserved 
from  being  killed  by  late  frosts  in  the  month  of 
April,  in  the  Pennsylvania  latitude.  I  have  made 
these  observations  from  actual  experience. 

"  A  gentleman  from  Monongahela  county,  in 
Virginia,  called  at  my  liouse,  and  asked  me  who 
instructed  me  to  cultivate  peach  trees :  I  told  him 
that  observation  and  experience  were  my  teachers. 
The  gentleman  observed,  that  colonel  Luther  Mar- 
tin, in  the  lower  parts  of  Maryland,  and  another 
gentleman,  near  tlie  same  place,  whose  name  he 
could  not  recollect,  were  pursuing  the  same  plan 
advantageously." 

*  "  This  assertion  is  directly  contrary  to  the  experience  of  a 
gentleman  in  New  Jersey,  who  has  remarkably  fine  peaches, 
regularly  manures  his  trees  every  year,  and  asserts  that  the 
speedy  decay  of  common  peach  trees  is  owing  chicfiy  to  a  neg- 
lect of  the  practice.  He  even  said  experience  convinced  him  it 
was  owing  to  the  same  circumstance,  that  peach  stones  did  not, 
in  general,  produce  fruit  like  the  original  tree. 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  203 

"The  practice  of  Mr.  Coulter,  in  cutting  down 
the  trees,  is  highly  rational :  they  are  thus  forced 
to  spend  their  vigour  upon  their  bodies  and  roots, 
instead  of  shooting  up  into  the  air  Avith  thin  barks, 
which  are  easily  penetrated  by  the  fly. 

"  The  best  kind  of  peaches  is  said  to  be  produced 
from  inoculation ;  and  upon  an  apricot  stock,  as  they 
are  not  liable  to  be  injured  by  the  fly ;  and  that 
peach  trees  thus  produced,  grow  larger  and  rise 
higher  than  when  on  the  peach  stock.  Grafting 
the  peach  upon  a  plum  stock  has  also  been  practis- 
ed, with  a  view  of  resisting  the  attack  of  the  fly; 
but  this  operation  must  be  performed  under  ground, 
otherwise  an  unsightly  knob  will  be  the  conse- 
quence of  the  peach  tree  overgrowing  the  plum 
stock,  and  endanger  the  breaking  oifof  the  tree  at 
the  place  of  junction. 

"  The  directions  given  by  Forsyth,  with  respect 
to  wall  peach  trees,  may  be  applied  to  our  standard 
trees,  viz.  to  pinch  off  all  the  strong  shoots  in  June, 
the  first  year  the  tree  bears;  which  will  make  them 
throw  out  side  shoots  :  these,  if  not  laid  too  thick, 
will  make  fine  bearing  wood  for  the  succeeding  year. 
If  the  strong  shoots  be  suffered  to  grow  to  their 
full  length,  they  will  be  large  and  spongy,  and  will 
neither  produce  good  fruit  nor  good  wood  for  the 
following  year.  Sometimes  weakly  trees  are  cover- 
ed with  blossoms ;  but  if  too  much  fruit  be  suffered 
to  remain  on  them,  they  will  be  weakened  so  much 
that  they  will  never  recover.  In  that  case,  I  would 
recommend  picking  off  the  greater  part  of  the  fruit, 
to  let  the  tree  recover  its  strength.  When  trees 
in  this  state  are  pruned,  never  prune  at  a  single 
Jlower-bud  ;  as  the  shoot  will  be  either  entirely 
killed,  or,  at  least,  die  as  far  as  the  next  wood-bud. 

"I  have  often  topped  the  strong  shoots  twice  in 
the  course  of  the  summer,  before  they  produced 
the  fine  kind-bearing  wood.  These  strong  shoots 
exhaust  the  tree,  and  never  produce  good  wood, 


204  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEJWENT 

when  neglected  to  be  topped.'  I  would  recommend 
to  cut  out  such  shoots  when  the  trees  are  pruned 
in  the  spring,  and  to  leave  only  the  bearing  wood, 
which  may  be  known  by  two  small  leaves,  where 
the  flower-buds  will  be  in  the  following  year;  (the 
strong  shoots  having  only  one  leaf  bud  at  each  eye ;) 
and  to  pick  olT  all  side  shoots  near  the  tops  of  the 
branches,  as  soon  as  they  can  laid  hold  of." 

In  addition  to  the  foregoing  details,  I  must  not 
omit  to  recommend  in  strong;'  terms  other  means  of 
preservmg  the  health  and  vigour  of  this  very  valua- 
ble tree,  the  fruit  of  which,  when  in  perfection,  is 
perhaps  equal,  if  not  superiour  to  that  most  luscious 
of  the  tropical  fruits,  the  ananas.  Since  it  is  ascer- 
tained that  the  fly  deposits  its  eggs,  which  produce 
the  fatal  worm,  in  the  bark,  it  is  obvious  that  if  the 
stem  of  the  tree  could  be  enveloped  with  some 
harmless  substance,  it  might  baflle  the  instinctive 
faculties  of  the  fly,  or  from  its  hardness,  resist  its 
powers  of  attack.  For  this  purpose,  let  the  earth 
around  the  roots  and  stem  be  removed,  and  its 
place  supplied  with  some  one  of  the  articles  men- 
tioned in  page  105 ;  after  which,  let  the  whole  trunk 
of  the  tree  and  large  branches,  from  the  surface  of 
the  earth  to  the  top,  receive  a  good  coating  of  the 
composition  of  quicklime,  cow-dung  and  clay,  page 
105.  This  would  not  be  a  very  expensive  expedient 
even  for  an  extensive  orchard,  and  the  preserva- 
tion of  the  trees  would  be  an  ample  reward;  but 
for  a  few  favourite  trees  in  the  garden  no  person 
need  hesitate  to  try  the  experiment,  even  upon 
young  trees,  at  the  time  of  transplanting.  Should 
it  fail  as  a  preventive  remedy  against  the  fly  and 
worm,  (which  is  scarcely  possible)  the  application 
will  have  a  tendency  to  increase  the  growth  and 
vigour  of  the  tree.  If  in  any  of  the  uncovered 
branches  black  spots  or  oozing  of  gum  should  be 
discovered,  let  the  branches  be  immediately  cut 
away,    and  the  wound  covered  with  the  same  com 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  205 

position,  and  young  shoots  will  soon  sprout  forth  and 
bear  fruit.  When  peach  trees  have  become  un- 
productive from  old  age  or  disease,  Mr.  Forsyth, 
from  long  experience,  recommends  to  head  them 
down  according  to  rule,  and  apply  the  composition, 
by  means  of  which,  trees  in  the  worst  condition  may 
be  completely  renovated,  and  rendered  abundantly 
fruitful.  Hitherto,  the  diseases  of  peach  trees 
among  us  have  eluded  all  our  art  and  skill  :  how 
far  a  diiferent  management  may  prove  successful, 
time  and  experience  must  determine.  It  may, 
however,  well  be  questioned  whether  it  is  most 
profitable  to  renew  our  stock  by  frequently  plant- 
mg  the  seed,  or  to  attempt  to  protract  the  exis- 
tence of  old  unproductive  trees  by  the  application 
of  remedies.  For  myself,  I  have  closely  inves- 
tigated the  subject  of  canine  madnesss  in  the  hu- 
man species,  and  the  desperate  maladies  among  the 
peach  trees,  and  am  compelled  to  denounce  them 
both  as  equally  intricate  and  irremediable,  and  as 
equally  meriting  the  appellation  of  opprobium  me- 
dicorium. 

"  A  good  peach  possesses  these  qualities  :  the 
flesh  is  firm;  the  skin  is  thin,  of  a  deep  or  bright 
red  colour  next  the  sun,  and  of  a  yellowish  green 
in  the  shade;  the  pulp  is  of  a  yellowish  colour,  full 
of  highly  flavoured  juice;  the  fleshy  part  thick, 
and  the  stone  small.  They  are  generally  divided 
into  free  stone  and  cling  stone  'peaches.  Those  va- 
rieties, the  flesh  of  which  separates  readily  both 
from  the  skin  and  the  stone,  are  the  proper  peaches 
of  the  French,  and  are  by  English  gardeners  term- 
ed free  stones.  Those  with  a  firm  flesh,  to  which 
both  the  skin  and  the  stone  adhere,  are  the  pavies 
of  the  French,  and  by  English  and  American  gar- 
deners named  cling  stones. 


206  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 


LIST  OF  CHOICE  PEACHES, 

FROM  MC  MAHON's  AMERICAN  GARDENER. 

All  the  varieties,  he  observes,  may  be  cultivated 
to  advantage  in  every  state  of  the  union,  if  soil  and 
exposure  be  given  agreeable  to  their  nature  and 
necessities.  1.  The  Early  Avant;  2.  The  White 
Nutmeg;  3.  The  Red  Nutmeg;  4.  Early  Mig- 
nonne  ;  5.  Early  Ann;  6.  Early  Newington;  7. 
Early  Elizabeth-Town;  8.  The  White  Magdalen; 
9.  Red CHngstone  ;  10.  White  Clingstone;  fl.  Ken- 
nedy's Caroline;  12.  Royal  George;  13.  Oldmlxon; 
14.  Late  Heath;  15.  La  Plata  ;  16.  Georgia;  17. 
The  Congress;  18.  Bourdine ;  19.  President ;  20. 
English  Incomparable  ;  21.  Chancellor  Rambouil- 
let ;  22.  La  Titon  de  Venus;  23.  LaPourprle  ;  24. 
Belle  Chevreuse;  25.  Noblesse  ;  26.  Bellegarde; 
27.  Large  Yellow  Freestone;  28.  White  Pavie; 
29.  Monstrous  Pavie  ;  30.  Clifton's  Nutmeg;  31. 
Lemon  Peach;  32.  Large  Newington  ;  33.  Caro- 
lina Clingstone. 

1.  Admirable  peach. — A  very  large  and  comely 
fruit,  of  an  agreeable  mixture  of  colours.  Its  pulp, 
though  rather  firm,  has  a  delicate  taste,  contains  a 
sweet,  vinous  juice,  of  a  fine  flavour,  and  is  pale 
red  near  the  stone.  It  becomes  eatable  about  the 
middle  of  September. 

2.  Alherge^  or  orange  peach — Is  one  of  the  most 
elegant  and  best  flavoured  of  the  clingstones ;  ra- 
ther large  than  otherwise  ;  round  ;  dark  red  or 
purple  next  the  sun,  and  bright  orange  on  the  other 
side ;  being  deeply  furrowed  from  the  stem  to  the 
blossom  end  :  the  flesh  of  a  deep  orange  colour, 
but  purple  at  the  stone  ;  ripens  in  August.  The  tree 
is  a  very  great  bearer. 

3.  Aune  peachy  or  early  Ann — Is  a  small,  round 
fruit,  of  a  yellowish  white  colour,  faintly  tinged  with 


OF    FRUIT    TREES.  207 

red  on  the  sunny  side  ;    ripening  about  the  middle 
of  August. 

4.  Bellegarde,  or  Gcdande. — This  is  a  beautiful, 
large  and  excellent  peach,  with  a  strong  tint  of  red 
on  a  yellow  ground,  and  of  a  deep  red  shade  on 
the  south  side.  Its  pulp,  though  rather  firm, yields 
a  sweet  juice,  of  an  agreeable  taste.  Ripens  in 
September. 

5.  Blood  Peach — Makes  a  beautiful  preserve, 
and  is  cultivated  chiefly  for  that  purpose.  The 
tree  is  hardv,  and  a  ffreat  bearer. 

6.  Boudine — Is  a  large,  round  fruit,  of  a  fine  red 
next  the  sun  ;  the  flesh  white,  melting ;  juice  vi- 
nous and  rich;  ripens  in  September.  The  tree  a 
plentiful  bearer. 

7.  Catharine. — A  large,  round  fruit,  of  a  dark  red 
next  the  sun;  the  flesh  white,  melting;  full  of  a 
rich  juice  ;  a  clingstone  :  ripens  in  October. 

8.  Charlestown,  or  ananas  peach — Is  a  new  sort, 
reared  in  America  from  the  kernel.  Although  its 
colour  is  inferiour  to  that  of  most  other  peaches, 
being  a  uniformly  pale  yellow,  without  any  red 
tint,  yet  its  firm  and  juicy  pulp  possesses  the  deli- 
cious flavour  of  the  pine  apple.  It  ripens  in  Octo- 
ber. 

9.  Early  JYewington — Is  a  fruit  of  middling  size, 
of  a  fine  red  next  the  sun ;  flesh  firm,  with  a  sugary, 
well  flavoured  juice.  There  are  several  varieties 
of  this  fruit,  all  clingstones;  ripening  in  August  and 
September. 

10.  Heath  peach. — Of  all  peaches,  perhaps  of  all 
fruits,  it  is  said,  there  is  none  equal  in  flavour  to  the 
American  Heath  peach,  a  clingstone.  It  is  large, 
weighing  near  a  pound,  in  common;  with  but  mo- 
derate attention,  it  is  believed,  they  Avould  very 
generally  weigh  a  full  pound.  It  is  backward  in 
ripening,  northward  of  the  Susquehannah,  and  is 
generally  one  of  the  last  sort  that  ripens.  "  This 
very  fine  clingstone  peach  is  generally  esteemed  the 


208  CULTURE    AND    MANAGEMENT 

finest  in  our  country :  the  original  stone  was  brought, 
by  the  late  Mr.  Daniel  Heath,  from  the  Mediter- 
ranean ;  it  has  eyer  since  been  propagated  from 
the  stone,  in  Maryland,  where  I  have  seen  it  in 
great  abundance  and  high  perfection,  as  a  natural 
fruit,  in  September  and  October.  It  is  usually  pro- 
pagated in  this  and  the  adjoining  states  by  inocula- 
tion: I  have  for  some  years  raised  them  from  the 
stone,  and  have  now  a  number  of  vigorous  trees 
from  stones,  brought  from  Maryland.  It  is  a  very 
large  fruit,  of  a  form  rather  oblong,  and  uniformly 
terminating  in  a  point  at  the  head ;  the  flesh  is  sin- 
gularly rich,  tender,  melting  and  juicy ;  the  stone 
frequently  opens,  disclosing  the  kernel:  the  skin  is 
a  rich,  cream-coloured  white,  sometimes  with  a 
faint  blush,  but  the  finest  peaches  are  entirely  white  ; 
the  juice  is  so  abundant,  as  to  make  it  difficult  to 
eat  this  peach  without  injury  to  the  clothes;  the 
leaf  is  luxuriant,  and  smooth  at  the  edge;  the  tree 
vigorous,  hardy  and  long-lived,  compared  with  other 
trees :  the  fruit  ripens  in  September,  lasts  through 
the  month  of  October,  and  is  frequently  eaten  in 
high  perfection  in  November.  It  is  of  all  peaches, 
when  not  too  ripe,  tlie  most  admired,  when  pre- 
served in  sugar  or  in  brandy."  (Coxe's  Cultivation 
of  Fruit  Trees.) 

11.  Large  mignonne — Is  somewhat  oblong  in 
shape,  and  generally  swells  out  on  one  side.  The 
juice  is  very  sugary,  and  of  high  flavour.  This 
is  one  of  the  most  handsome  and  delicious  fruits,  of 
a  dark  red  and  greenish  yellow  cast;  having  a  white, 
melting  and  agreeable  pulp,  containing  a  sweetish 
vinous  juice,  and  is  in  eating  about  the  middle  of 
September. 

12.  hemon  clingstone — Is  a  large,  late,  but  beau- 
tiful and  high  flavoured  peach.  It  ripens  the  last 
of  September  and  beginning  of  October. 

13.  Monstrous  pavie. — This  is  the  largest  of  the 
peaches,  and  a  true  ornament   to  the  dessert,  as  it 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  209 

displays  a  beautiful  red  tint  on  a  white  ground.  Its 
pulp  is  white,  though  red  in  the  parts  next  the 
stone,  and  contains  a  vinous,  sweet  juice.  Ripens 
in  September. 

14.  JVoblesse — Is  a  large  fruit,  red  or  marbled 
next  the  sun;  flesh  greenish  white,  and  melting; 
juice  very  rich  in  a  favourable  season. 

15.  Old  JYewington — Is  a  large  round  fruit,  of  a 
beautiful  red  next  the  sun ;  the  flesh  white  and 
melting  ;  when  ripe,  the  juice  very  rich  and  vinous : 
a  clingstone,  and  matured  early  in  October. 

16.  Ramhouillet — Is  a  fruit  of  middling  size,  deep- 
ly divided  by  a  furrow ;  the  flesh  melting,  of  a 
bright  yellow  colour ;  juice  rich,  and  of  a  vinous 
flavour :  ripens  about  the  middle  of  September. 
The  tree  is  a  good  bearer. 

17.  Red  rareripe — "Is  a  peach  of  uncommon  ex- 
cellence, frequently  called  Morris's  rareripe.  It  is 
of  unusually  large  size,  sometimes  weighing  eight 
and  nine  ounces  ;  of  a  round  form,  beautiful  red  and 
white  skin;  rich,  tender  and  melting  flesh,  full  of 
sugary,  highly  flavoured  juice;  equal  to  any  peach 
cultivated  at  the  same  season.  Ripens  in  the  early 
and  middle  parts  of  August.  Clear  at  the  stone." 
(Coxe.) 

18.  Red  magdalen. — It  is  large,  round,  and  of  a 
fine  red  next  the  sun;  the  juice  very  sugary,  and  of 
exquisite  flavour:  ripening  in  the  end  of  August. 
The  tree  is  a  free  grower,  and  a  great  bearer. 

19.  Red  nutmeg — Is  a  great  bearer,  and  valued 
for  its  early  maturity.  It  is  of  a  bright  vermilion 
colour,  and  has  a  fine  musk  taste.  Ripens  in  Au- 
gust. 

20.  Royal  George — Is  an  excellent  peach,  and  in 
a  very  good  soil  and  aspect  the  fruit  becomes  large; 
dark  red  next  the  sun,  juicy  and  high-flavoured. 

27 


2  10  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

21.  Sivalch.  This  is  a  fine,  pleasant-flavoured 
peach.      Ripens  early  in  September. 

22.  Teton  de  Venus — Is  a  fruit  of  middlino:  size 
and  longish  shape ;  of  a  pale  red  next  the  sun ; 
flesh  melting,  white;  juice  sugary,  and  not  without 
flavour:  ripens  the  end  of  September.  The  tree 
is  a  free  bearer  on  a  Avarra,  light  soil,  but  the  fruit 
comes  to   perfection  only  in  fine  seasons. 

23.  Vanguard — Is  a  good  peach,  ripens  about  the 
middle  of  September. 

24.  White  Magdalen. — The  fruit  is  of  a  middle 
size,  round,  with  a  deep  furrow  ;  of  a  pale  colour, 
and  the  flesh  white  to  the  stone ;  melting,  juicy, 
with  considerable  flavour.     Ripening  in  August. 

25.  White  Rareripe^  or  "  White  cheek  Malacotan 
peach — Sometimes  called  the  freestone  heath:  is 
a  fruit  of  uncommon  excellence.  The  size  is  large ; 
the  flesh  a  rich  white,  inclining  to  yellow,  melting, 
rich,  and  finely-flavoured;  firm,  like  the  flesh  of  a 
clearstone  plum  :  the  skin  is  a  pale  yellowish  white  : 
the  stone  frequently  separates  on  the  opening  of  the 
peach,  leaving  the  kernel  exposed;  the  shells  ad- 
hering to  the  flesh,  though  a  freestone.  It  is  the 
most  admired  fruit  of  the  season,  which  is  in  Au- 
gust."   (Coxe.) 

The  following  fact  has  come  to  my  knowledge 
since  writing  the  foregoing. 

"  The  cultivation  of  this  tree  has  become  very 
interesting  to  gardeners  in  the  vicinity  of  this  city, 
(New  York.)  A  very  simple  mode  of  preserving 
and  restoring  them  when  apparently  nearly  destroy- 
ed by  the  disease  so  fatal  to  them  in  this  quarter, 
and  commonly  called  the  "  yellows,"  has  been  ac- 
cidentally discovered  by  a  gentleman  in  this  city. 
A  statement  of  the  fact  as  it  occurred  will  convey 
all  necessary  information.  In  the  fall  of  1818,  a  very 
fine  tree  standing  in  his  yard,  was  apparently  dead 


OF   FRUIT   TREES.  211 

from  the  effects  of  the  abovementloned  disease. 
Throughout  the  fall  and  winter  very  large  quantities 
of  common  wood  ashes  were  casually  thrown  by  the 
servants  about  the  roots  of  the  tree.  To  the  as- 
tonishment of  all  who  had  seen  it  the  preceding 
fall,  it  put  forth  its  leaves  vigorously  the  next  sea- 
son, and  bore  abundance  of  fine  fruit.  A  small  quan- 
tity of  wood  ashes  was  again  thrown  round  its  roots 
last  fall,  and  the  tree  has  now  become  so  full  of  fine 
fruit  that  it  has  become  necessary  to  prop  it  up. 
This  is  a  very  simple  remedy,  and  certainly  worthy 
of  trial.  The  foregoing  paragraph  is  from  Mr. 
Lang's  gazette  of  this  morning.  A  gentleman  has 
since  called  upon  us  who  has  tried  the  same  experi- 
ment with  all  the  success  he  could  have  desired. 
He  wishes  us  to  recommend  this  simple  method  of 
preserving  this  valuable  fruit  tree  to  the  publick, 
and  he  also  suggests  to  the  New  York  Agricultural 
Society  the  expediency  of  having  printed  handbills 
of  the  above  article  stuck  up  in  all  the  markets, 
and  given  to  every  countryman  who  attends  them, 
that  the  information  may  be  as  widely  diffused  as 
possible."     (New  York  Com.  Advertiser.) 

It  may  be  further  observed,  that  cherry  trees 
and  plum  trees  will  be  equally  benefitted  by  the 
same  application,  and  the  practice  ought  to  be  gene- 
rally adopted.  Tanner's  bark  put  round  peach  and 
other  fruit  trees  has  been  found  by  experience  ex- 
ceedmgly  useful.  Ringing  the  branches  of  peach 
trees  has  proved  beneficial.     See  page  29. 


212  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 


CHERRIES. 

There  are  several  native  varieties  of  the  cherrj 
in  the  United  States,  which  have  been  perpetuated 
from  the  seed,  unaided  bj  the  hand  of  culture,  and, 
as  supposed,  without  any  deviation  from  the  ori- 
ginal stock.  But  the  cultivated  kinds  are  far  more 
valuable,  and  it  is  greatly  to  be  regretted,  that 
they  are  so  generally  neglected.  Many  advan- 
tages would  accrue  to  the  farmer  from  the  cultiva- 
tion of  the  cherry  tree ;  it  would  serve  the  useful 
purposes  of  ornament  and  shade  to  his  orchard  and 
buildings,  and  the  fruit  would  afford  his  family  not 
merely  an  innocent,  but  a  salutary  luxury ;  and  if 
near  a  market,  the  profit  would  remunerate  him 
for  all  his  labour  and  expense. 

The  cultivated  cherry,  when  reared  from  the 
seed,  is  much  disposed  to  deviate  from  the  variety 
of  the  original  fruit,  and,  of  course,  they  are  pro- 
pagated by  budding  or  grafting  on  cherry  stocks : 
budding  is  most  generally  preferred,  as  the  tree  is 
less  apt  to  suffer  from  oozing  of  the  gum  than  when 
grafted.  The  stocks  are  obtained  by  planting  the 
seeds  in  a  nursery,  and  the  seedlings  are  afterwards 
transplanted.  Those  kinds  which  are  called  heart 
cherries  are  said  to  succeed  best  on  the  black  ma- 
zard  stock;  but  for  the  round  kind,  the  Morello 
stocks  are  preferred,  on  account  of  their  being  the 
least  subject  to  worms,  or  to  cracks  in  the  bark, 
from  frost  and  heat  of  the  sun.  The  whole  method 
of  management  pertaining  to  cherry  trees  is  so  pre- 
cisely similar  to  that  already  detailed,  when  treat- 
ing of  peach  trees,  that  very  little  remains  to  be 
said  on  the  present  occasion.  But  the  following  di- 
rections given  by  Forsyth,  in  his  treatise  on  fruit 
trees,  will  probably  be  acceptable. 


OP    FRUIT    TREES.  213 

*'  In  the  choosing  and  planting  of  young  cherry 
trees,  the  same  rules  are  to  be  observed  that  are 
given  for  apricots,  peaches  and  nectarines;  and 
they  must  in  like  manner  be  headed  down  the  first 
year. 

"  In  pruning  cherries  never  shorten  their  shoots  ; 
for  most  of  them  produce  their  fruit  at  the  extre- 
mities, the  shortening  or  cutting  off  of  which  very 
frequently  occasions  the  death  of  the  shoot,  at  least 
of  a  great  part  of  it.  The  branches,  therefore, 
should  be  trained  at  full  length.  I  have  often  seen 
the  whole  tree  killed  by  injudicious  pruning.  Wher- 
ever the  knife  is  applied,  it  is  sure  to  bring  on  the 
gum,  and  afterwards  the  canker,  which  will  inevita- 
bly kill  the  trees,  if  no  remedy  be  applied  to  the 
wounds.  I  have  headed  down  a  great  many  cherry 
trees,  which  were  almost  past  bearing,  and  so  eaten 
up  by  the  gum  and  canker,  that  the  few  cherries 
they  bore  were  very   bad. 

"  In  the  years  1790  and  1791,  I  headed  down 
fifty  trees.  The  operation  should  be  performed  in 
the  month  of  April  in  each  year.  These  trees 
made  shoots  from  three  to  five  feet,  the  same  sum- 
mer, bore  fine  cherries  the  next  year,  and  have  con- 
tinued to  bear  good  crops  ever  since. 

"  To  the  above  trees  I  applied  the  composition. 
At  the  same  time  I  cut  down  twelve  trees  in  the 
same  row,  but  did  not  apply  the  composition :  these 
twelve  trees  all  died  in  the  second  and  third  years 
after.  One  tree  where  the  composition  was  appli- 
ed, now  produces  more  fruit  than  the  whole  num- 
ber formerly,  also  much  finer  and  larger. 

"  When  cherry  trees  are  very  old  and  much  in- 
jured by  large  limbs  having  been  cut  or  blown  off 
(which  will  bring  on  the  canker  and  gum)  the  best 
way  to  bring  them  to  have  fine  heads,  and  to  fill  the 
vacant  space,  is  to  head  them  down  as  low  as  pos- 


214  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

sible,  taking  care  to  leave  some  small  shoots,  if 
there  be  anj;  if  not,  a  bud  or  two  at  the  end  of 
some  of  the  shoots.  Sometimes  it  is  difficult  to 
find  any  buds.  In  that  case,  before  you  mean  to 
head  the  trees,  make  some  incisions  in  the  branches. 
This  should  be  done  on  different  branches,  at  the 
most  convenient  places  for  filling  the  tree  with  good 
wood.  The  size  of  the  incisions  should  be  from  one 
to  two  inches,  according  to  the  size  of  the  branches, 
observing  to  make  them  just  above  the  joint,  where  ^ 
the  buds  should  come  out. 

"  The  time  for  performing  this  operation,  is 
March,  April,  or  May.  (In  America,  March.) 
The  above  method  is  only  recommended  where 
there  are  no  young  shoots  or  buds,  and  when  the 
tree  is  in  the  last  stage  of  the  canker. 

"  Where  you  find  a  few  young  shoots  or  buds, 
cut  down  the  head  as  near  to  them  as  you  can,  and 
take  care  to  cut  out  all  the  canker  till  you  come  to 
the  sound  bark.  If  any  gum  remains,  it  must  be 
cut  or  scraped  off:  the  best  time  for  this  is  when 
it  is  moistened  with  rain;  it  may  then  be  scraped 
off  without  bruising  the  bark.  This  operation  is 
very  necessary. 

"  Wherever  the  bark  or  branches  have  been  cut 
off,  the  edges  should  be  rounded,  and  the  composi- 
tion applied.  If  the  young  shoots  are  properly 
trained,  they  will  produce  fruit  the  following  year; 
and  in  the  second  year  they  will  produce  more  and 
finer  fruit  than  a  young  tree  which  has  been  planted 
ten  years. 

"  Never  make  use  of  the  knife  in  summer,  if  it  be 
possible  to  avoid  it,  as  the  shoots  die  from  the  place 
where  they  are  cut,  leaving  ugly  dead  stubs,  which 
will  infallibly  bring  on  the  canker.  These  shoots 
may  be  cut  in  the  spring  to  about  two  eyes,  which 
will  form  a  number  of  flower-buds. 


OF    FRUIT    TREES,  215 

"  When  cherry  trees  begin  to  produce  spurs,  cut 
out  every  other  shoot,  to  make  the  tree  throw  out 
fresh  wood:  when  that  comes  into  a  bearing  state, 
which  will  be  in  the  following  year,  cut  out  the 
old  branches  that  remain;  by  that  method  you 
will  be  able  to  keep  the  trees  in  a  constant  state 
of  bearing,  taking  the  same  method  as  before  di- 
rected with  the  fore   rio;ht  shoots. 

"Great  care  should  be  taken  to  rub  oiTmany  of 
them  in  the  month  of  May,  (middle  of  June  in  Ame- 
rica,) leaving  only  such  a  number  as  you  think  will 
fill  the  tree.  By  so  doing  your  trees  Avill  continue 
in  a  fine  healthy  state,  and  not  be  in  the  least  weak- 
ened by  bearing  a  plentiful  crop  of  fruit.  The  rea- 
son is  obvious ;  the  great  exhalation  which  would 
be  occasioned  by  the  sun  and  air  in  the  common 
mode  of  pruning,  is  prevented  by  the  composition 
keeping  in  the  sap  which  nourishes  the  branches 
and  fruit.  I  cut  some  trees,  as  directed  above, 
more  than  twelve  years  ago,  that  are  now  in  as  good 
a  state  of  bearing  as  they  were  in  the  third  year 
after  the  operation,  and  likely  to  continue  so  for 
many  years. 

"  In  1797  I  cut  some  very  old  trees  in  the  month 
of  May,  which  were  left,  to  show  the  old  method 
of  pruning;  I  at  the  same  time  cut  some  branches 
off  the  same  trees,  according  to  the  new  method, 
to  show  the  difference  of  the  fruit,  which  was  taken 
by  all  who  saw  it  for  a  different  sort  of  cherry.  The 
cherries  from  the  old  spurs  were  not  half  the  size 
of  the  others,  and  were  at  least  three   weeks  later. 

"Several  persons  have  adopted  the  new  method 
with  great  success,  and  by  renovating  their  old 
trees,  which  scarcely  bore  any  fruit,  have  obtained 
from  them  an  abundant  quantity.  But  even  the  in- 
creased quantity  of  the  fruit  is  not  so  material,  in 
cherries,  as  the  increase  in  the  size  and  in  the  rich- 


216  CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT 

ness  of  the  flavour.  In  this  respect  the  method  of 
pruning  here  laid  down  is  invaluable.  When  old 
standard  cherry  trees  become  decayed  and  hollow,  I 
would  recommend  heading  them  down,  as  directed 
for  wall  trees  and  dwarfs.  Scoop  out  all  the  rot- 
ten, loose,  and  decayed  parts  of  the  trunk,  till  you 
come  to  the  solid  wood,  leaving  the  surface  smooth; 
then  use  the  composition  as  directed  for  fruit 
trees." 

"  The  folloAvIng  twenty  are  the  principal  cherries 
cultivated  in  the  United  States,  the  account  of 
which  was  furnished  by  Mr.  William  Prince,  of 
Long  Island.    (Dom.  Ency.) 

'''•May  Duke — Ripe  in  May  and  June  :  long  stem, 
round  and  red,  an  excellent  cherry,  and  bears  well. 

"  Black  heart — Ripe  in  June:  a  fine  cherry. 

"  White  heart,  or  sugar  cherry — Ripe  in  June  : 
white  and  red. 

"  Bleeding  heart — Ripein  June,  a'  very  large  cher- 
ry, of  a  long  form,  and  dark  colour ;  it  has  a  plea- 
sant taste. 

"  Ox  heart — Ripe  in  June  :  a  large,  firm,  fine  cher- 

"  Spanish  heart — Ripe  in  June. 

"  Carnation — Ripe  in  July  :  it  takes  its  name  from 
its  colour,  being  red  and  white ;  a  large  round 
cherry,  but  not  very  sweet. 

"  Amher — Ripe  in  July. 

"  Red  heart — Do. 

"  Late  Duke — Do. 

"  Cluster — Planted  more  for  ornament  or  curiosity 
than  any  other  purpose. 

''  Double  blossom — Ripe  in  July. 

"  Honey  cherry — Do.  small  sweet  cherry. 

"  Kentish  cherry — Ripe  in  July. 

"  Mazarine — Do. 


OF  FRUIT  TREES.  217 

"  Mordlo — Ripe  In  July  and  August:  a  red,  acid 
cherry,  the  best  for  preserving,  and  for  making 
cherry  brandy. 

''^  Early  Richmond  cherry. — This  fruit  originated 
near  Richmond,  in  Virginia,  and  is  the  earhest  cher- 
ry in  America,  and  valuable  on  that  account:  it  is 
the  size  of  a  May  duke,  and   resembles  it  in  form. 

"  Red  bigereau — A  very  fine  cherry,  ripe  in  July  : 
of  a  heart  shape. 

"  White  bigereau — Ripe  in  July  and  August :  re- 
markably firm  :  heart  shape. 

"  Large  double  Jlowering  cherry. — This  tree  pro- 
duces no  fruit,  but  makes  a  handsome  appearance 
in  the  spring,  when  it  is  covered  with  clusters  of 
double  flowers  as  large  as  the  cinnamon  rose  ;  it 
diifers  from  the  common  double  flowering  cherry, 
which  never  forms  a  large  tree,  and  has  small  point- 
ed leaves. 

"  The  three  last  were  imported  from  Bourdeaus, 
in  1798. 

"  Small  Morello  cherry — Called  also  Salem  cher- 
ry, because  it  came  originally  from  Salem  county. 
New  Jersey,  is  cultivated  by  Mr.  Cooper  of  that 
state,  who  values  it  highly.  The  fruit  has  a  lively 
acid  taste.  The  tree  produces  abundantly,  and  is 
the  least  subject  to  worms  of  any  cherry  tree. 

"  Mr.  C.  says  that  the  Bleeding  Heart  suits  a 
sandy  soil,  but  that  the  May  Duke  will  not  flourish 
in  it." 

Besides  the  foregoing  list,  the  black  mazard,  or 
natural  cherry,  with  its  several  varieties,  should  be 
mentioned  as  excellent  fruits,  and  valuable  for  being 
later  than  the  others.  They  make  very  useful  and 
hardy  stocks  for  propagating  other  varieties.  This 
fruit  ripens  in  June  or  July,  and  is  used  by  way  of 
bounce  in  rum  or  brandy.  Another  native  fruit  is 
the  common  red  cherry  which  abounds  in  New 
England.  The  fruit  is  not  of  a  superiour  quality, 
28 


218      CULTURE  AND  MANAGEMENT  OF  FRUIT  TREES. 

being  very  acid,  unless  perfectly  ripe :  it  might  per- 
haps be  improved  by  grafting  and  proper  cultiva- 
tion. 

The  loild,  or  native  black  cherry^  of  spontaneous 
growth,  is  deserving  of  some  attention.  The  fruit, 
when  infused  in  rum  or  brandy,  imparts  its  astrin- 
gent and  cordial  qualities,  and  forms  a  pleasant  and 
salutary  liquor.  The  bark  of  the  root  of  the  tree 
is  very  astringent,  and  makes  a  useful  stomachick 
bitter;  and  the  wood  is  frequently  employed  by 
artists  as  a  tolerable  substitute  for  mahogany,  being 
susceptible  of  a  handsome  polish. 

Cherry  brandy  is  made  in  the  following  manner  : 
Fill  the  cask  with  cherries;  pour  over  them  as 
much  brandy  as  the  cask  will  contain.  When  it 
has  been  on  ten  days,  draw  it  off,  and  pour  on  hot 
water :  let  this  remain  sometime,  shaking  the  cask 
frequently;  then  draw  it  off,  and  mix  the  last  with 
the  first  liquor. 


INDEX. 


Apples,  physical  properties  of  .  .  12 

particular  varieties  become  extinct  by  age      18,  27 
new  varieties,  production  of  18,  19,  20,  24,  27 

improved  by  grafting  early  and  late  on  the 

same  tree       ...  36 

should  be  gathered  by  hand  .  .114 

how  to  ascertain  when  ripe  .  114 

best  method  of  preserving  .  113,115 

juice  of,  when  most  dense,  makes  the  best  cider  141 


which  yield  the  best  juice  for  cider 

.       142 

sweet  entitled  to  preference 

13 

useful  for  a  sick  horse 

13 

fattening  cattle 

13 

making  molasses 

13 

different  sorts  of,  in  United  States 

118 

American  Pippin 

.       120 

American  Nonpareil 

120 

Aunt's  Apple                 .                 ; 

,       120 

Autumn  or  Fall  Pippin 

120 

Baldwin  or  Pecker  Apple 

121 

Baltimore  Apple 

121 

Black  Apple 

.       121 

Bell  Flower 

121 

Bow  Apple 

.       121 

Brownite 

121 

Bullock's  Pippin 

122 

Campfield 

122 

Cathead 

122 

Catline 

122 

Carthouse     . 

122 

Cider  Apple 

123 

Codling         .                 .                 .                 . 

123 

Corlies'  Sweet        .                 . 

123 

Cooper's  Ilusseting 

124 

Flat  Sweeting 

124 

Gloucester  While 

124 

Golden  Pippin        .                 , 

125 

Golden  Rennet 

125 

Green  Everlasting 

125 

Green  Newton  Pippin 

125 

Grey  house 

126 

Hagloe  Crab 

,       126 

Harrison  Apple 

127 

Harty  Sweeting 

128 

High  Top  Sweeting 

128 

220 


INDEX. 


\pples,   Holmes  Apfjle 

.       128 

ilolien  bvveeling 

128 

Hughes's  Virginia  Crab 

.       129 

Lady  Apple 

129 

Lady  Fiiiger 

129 

Large  lied  and  Green  Sweeting 

129 

Large  Early  Harvest 

-       129 

Loring  Sweeting 

129 

Large  Yellow  Mewark  Pippin 

.       130 

.Maiden's  Blush      . 

130 

Michael  Henry              • 

.       130 

Monstrous  Pippin 

131 

Morgan  Apple 

.       131 

Newark  King  Apple 

131 

Nonsuch        .                 .                 • 

.       131 

Nursery  Apple        .                 • 

131 

Pearmain 

.       131 

Fennock's  Red  Winter 

132 

Poveshon 

.       132 

Pound  Apple 

132 

Priestly 

.       132 

Queen  Apple 

133 

Quince  Apple 

.       132 

Karilon  Sweeting 

133 

Red  Everlasting 

.       133 

Rediing 

133 

Red  Streak 

.       133 

Rambo                   .                 , 

134 

Roan's  White  Crab 

.       134 

Rhode  Island  Greening 

134 

Roman  Stem 

135 

Royal  I'earmain 

135 

Pioyal  llusset                 . 

.       135 

Roxbury  (lusseting 

136 

Ruckman's  Pearmain 

.       136 

Seek  no  further 

136 

Spitszenburgh 

.       137 

Spice  Apple 

137 

Styre             .       _          . 

.       137 

Summer  Pearmain                . 

138 

Swaar  Apple 

.       138 

Sweet  (ireening                       • 

138 

Tolman  Sweeting 

.       139 

Vandevere 

139 

Vanwinkle 

.       139 

Wine  Apple 

140 

Wine  Sap 

140 

Yellow  Sweeting 

140 

Apple  Trees,  soil  and  climate  of  the  United  i 

States 

adapted  to 

0 

original  slock  of 

15 

native  crab 

15 

do  not  enjoy  indefinite  longevity 

18 

cultivated  or  seedling  stocks 

16 

reared  from  seed  seldom   produc 

:e  the 

same  kind  of  fruit 

16,  18,  24 

best  adapted  soil  for 

17 

INDEX.  221 

Apple  Trees,  in  certain  places   some  kinds  succeed 

better  than  others         .  .         17 

may  be  forced  to  bear  fruit  .  28 

instance  of  one  bearing  fruit  of  opposite 

qualities  .  .  22 

those  which  produce  good  fruit  should 
not  be  suffered  to  grow  near  those 
which  produce  bad  fruit  .         21 

will  not  flourish  where  old  ones  have  died     54 

52 
69 


should  not  be  planted  deep  in  the  soil 

heading  down  old  ones,  utility  of 

of  spontaneous  growth,  produce  tolera 

ble  crops 
injured  by  bearing  too  abundantly 
cultivated  successfully  in  unfavourabli 

situations 
vrhen  young,  should  be  headed  dowD 
annual  wash  for 
disbarked 

hide-bound,  how  treated      . 
means  of  preserving  the   health   and 

vigour  of 
washing  of,  with  soft  soap 
clay-paint  recommended  for 
diseases  of,   &c.  which   render  them 

unproductive 

B 


59 
58 

60 
45 
73 
80 
75 

73 

74 

74 

76 


Bark  of  Apple  Trees,  torn  off  by  field  mice,  remedied        8 1 

cracks  when  hide  bound  .         75 

scaly,  should  be  scraped  off  80 

injured  by  exposure  to  the  sun  75 

Blight         .                 .                 .                 .  .76 

Blossoms,  of  different  trees  intermix  and  change  the 

quality  of  the  fruit           ,                 .  21 

injured  by  spring  frosts               .  .         82 

black  flies        .                .  83 
Borer,  (see  worm.) 

Brandy,  made  from  apples        .                 .  .177 

peaches  by  distillation         .  194 

Brush  for  destroying  caterpillar's  nests       .  .         97 

Buds,  description  of             .                 .                 ,  40 

Budding,  observations  on            .                 .  .40 

proper  season  for                 .                 .  40 

different  modes  of       .                 .  .  41  43 

of  peach  trees  preferable  to  grafting     .  199 

composition  to  be  used  in            .  .43 

C 

Canker              •                ...  78 

remedies  for  ...         79 

Canker  Worm,  character  and  description  of      .  M 

history  of,  by  Professor  Peck  .         84 

various  remedies  for    .                 .  85, 95 

directions  for  tarring             .  .         86 

proposed  remedy  by  Professor  Peck  84 

Mr.  Kenrick  .         89 

observations  on,  by  J.  Lowell,  Esq,  91 


222 


INDEX. 


Cherry  Worm,  lime  the  most  eligible  remedy  .        94 

flax  rubbish  and  sea  weed  proposed  94 
Dr.  Dean  recommends  to  destroy  them 

through  the  agency  of  swine  .         94 

Caterpillars         ....  93 

disgraceful  to  farmers               .  ,         95 

description  of                     .                 •  96 

methods  of  destroying              .  96 — 100 

brush  for  destroying          .                 <•  97 

Cherries,     '               .                .                .  211 

method  of  propagating         .                 .  212 

treatment  by  Forsyth          .  212 

list  of           .                 .                 .  .215 

May  Duke  .  .  .215 

Black  Heart                 .                 .  .215 

White  Heart        .                 .                 .  215 

Bleeding  Heart            .                 .  .216 

Ox  Heart             ...  216 

Spanii-h  Heart             .                 .  .216 

Carnation             .                 .                 .  216 

Amber         .                 .                 .  .216 

Red  Heart  .  .  .216 

Late  Duke                   .                 .  .216 

Cluster  .  .  .216 

Double  Blossom           .                 .  .216 

Honey  Cherrv      .                 .                 .  216 

Kentish  Cherry             .                 .  .216 

Mazarine              .                 .                 .  216 

Moreilo        .                 .                 .  .216 

Early  Richmond  Cherry      .                 .  216 

Red  Bigereau               .                 .  .216 

White  Bigereau                     .                 .  216 

Large  Double  Flowering  Cherry  .       216 

Small  Moreilo  Cherry           .                 .  216 

Black  Mazard              .                 .  .217 

Wild  or  Native  Black  Cherry             .  217 

Cherry  Brandy           .                 .                 .  .217 

Cider                   ....  141 

apples  which  yield  the  best  juice  for  .       142 

making  and  managing                 .                 .  141 

proper  casks  for,  and  how  kept  sweet 

and  clean                .                 .                 ,  144,  153 

fining  with  isinglass             .                 .  148,151 

method  of  making  and  fining  by  Jos.  Cooper,  Esq.  155 

observations  on  by  J    Lowell,  Esq.            .  158 

concise  rules  for  making  and  managing  .       148 

stumming  of  casks  for                 .                 .  171 

bottling             .                 .                 .  .148 

medicinal  properties  of              .                 .  177 

Cider  Wine                 .                 .                 .  .177 

Clover,  said  to  be  injurious  to  orchards                ,  55 

Compositions  to  he  applied  to  wounds  in  pruning,  in 

grafting,  in  budding,  in  canker,  and  in  heading  down  64,  69 

Curculio,"account  of  by  Dr.  Tilton             .  .       109 

D 

Decortication,  or  disbarking  fruit  trees                .  80 
Directions  for  making  and  applying  Forsyth's  composition  69 


INDEX.  223 


E 

Engrafting,  the  art  not  traced  to  its  origin  .  32 

introduced  into  America  by  Mr.  Prince  33 

proper  season  for  .  .  35 

stocks  for  grafting  should  be  of  the  same 

genus  and  natural  family  with  the  scion         33 
choice  of  scions  for  srafting  .  33 

when  scions  should  be  taken  &  how  preserved  34 
scions  should  not  be  taken  from  seedling  trees  34 
winter  fruit  should  not  be   grafted  on    a 

summer  stock       .  .  .33 

36 
37 
37 
37 
38 
38 
38 
39 
39 
36 
23 


modes  of  grafting 
whip-grafting 
tongue-grafting 
cleft-grafting 
croAvn-grafting 
side-grafting 
root-grafting     . 
new  mode  of  grafting 
extreme  branch  grafting 
clay  used  in  grafting 
Engrafted  fruits  not  permanent 


Flax  shaws  useful  when  applied  round  fruit  trees  .         58 

Fruit,  directions  for  picking  and  preserving         .  113,115 

I 

Inoculation,  (see  budding.) 

L 

Lice  infesting  young  orchards  in  Maine               .  107 

M 

Manuring  fruit  trees,  utility  of                   .  .56 
instance  of  resuscitating  an  old  apple  tree  by       66 

best  kinds  of  manure           .                 .  56 

must  not  be  carried  to  excess       .  .         57 

Means  of  preventing  flowers  and  fruit  falling  off,   and 

of  retarding  their  opening        .                 .  .75 

Moss  and  scaly  bark  on  trees              .                .  80 

N 

Nursery     .                •                 .                ,  .30 

soil  and  situation  for                .  30 

method  of  planting  apple  seeds  in  .        31 

Nursery  pruning                   ...  44 

Observations  on  Forsyth's  treatise,  by  Mr.  Yates     .         72 

Mr.  Cobbett        71 

O 

Orchard,  planting  and  culture     .                 .  .46 

most  eligible  soil  and  situation  for         .  46 

northern  exposure  preferable  for  ,         47 

preparation  of  the  land  and  planting    .  50 


224 


INDEX. 


Orchard,  proper  season  for  planting            .                .  50 

may  be  established  in  unpromising  situations  60 

proper  distance  for  planting  trees  in     .  49 

ground  should  be  cultivated         .                 .  55 

trees,   should  he  planted  in  straight  rows  48 

inclining  towards  the  east                  .  48 

directions  for  planting,  by  Marshall  52 

Orchard  Pruning  .  .  .61 

former  errours  in     .                .  62 

proper  season  for,   when  the  sap  is 

in  active  circulation         .  64 
regard  must  be  had  to  soil  and  climate  65 

observations  on,  by  Mr.  Marshall  07 

Mr.  Yates  62 

composition  should  he  applied  65 

never  suffer  a  sucker  to  grow  66 

Orchard  and  Cider  establishment  of  Wm.  Coxe,  esquire  118 


Peaches  .  .  .  .194 

method  of  propagating         .  .  1 95 

may  be  budded  or  grafted  on  other  stocks   196,  203 


qualities  of           . 
excellent  brandy  made  from 

205 
•       194 

divided  into  freestones  and  clingstones 
lists  of         . 

205 
.       206 

Admirable  Peach 

206 

Alberge 

Aune  or  Early  Ann 

Bellegarde 

Blood  Peach 

.       206 

206 

.      207 

207 

Bowdine     . 

.       207 

Catharine 

207 

Charlestown 

.       207 

Early  Newingtoa 
Heath 

207 
.       207 

Large  Mignonne 
Lemon  Clingstone 

303 
.       208 

Monstrous  Pavie 

208 

Noblesse 

.      209 

Old  NewingtoB 

209 

Rambouillet 

.      209 

Red  Rareripe 
Red  Magdalen 
Red  Nutmeg 

209 

.       209 

209 

Royal  George 
Swalch 

.       209 
209 

Teton  de  Venus 

.      210 

Vanguard 

210 

"White  Magdalen 

.       210 

Wliite  Rareripe 

210 

Peach  Trees,  liable  to  premature 
cannot  he  reared  a 

decay 
second  time  in 

.       195 

the 

same  place 

.       195 

method  of  treating,  by  Forsyth 

causes  of  the  decay  of 

fly  and  worm  which  attack  them 

196,  203 

.       197 

198 

INDEX. 


225 


Peach  Trees,  method  of  preventing  injury  from  the 

fly  and  worm  .       198,  204 


Pears, 


directions  for  cultivating 
diseases  of,  elude  our  art  and  skill 
ringing  of 


list  of 

Brockholst  Bergamot 

Brown  Beurre 

Catharine  Pear        .  .  . 

Chaumontelle 

Colmart 

Crassane 

Easter  Bergamot     . 

Garden  Pear 

German  Muscadell  .  . 

Green  Summer  Sugar  Pear  . 

Grey  Butter  Pear  .  . 

White  Butter  Pear 

Jargonelle 

Little  Muscat 

Mons  Jean  .  .  . 

Orange  Pear 

Pound  Pear 

Nonpareil  Bergamot 

Prince's  Pear 

Radish  Pear 

Rousseline  , 

Sarasin 

Seckle  Pear 

Skinless  Pear 

Squash  Pear 
,  Saint  Germain 

Saint  Michaels 

Summer  Good  Christian  .    • 

Virgouleuse 

Winter  Baking  Pear 
Good  Christian 
I'horn 
Pear  Trees    arc  well  adapted  to  the  soil  and  cli.aate 

of  New  England  .  .180 

may  be  grafted  on  a  quince  stock  33,  180 

propagation  of  particular   varieties  of, 

by  grafting  or  budding  180 

attention  necessary  in  the  choice  of  stocks  180 
never  employ  suckers  for  stocks  130 

never  graft  a  winter  pear  on  a  summer  stock  !  80 
much  benefited  by  wpshing  with  soft  soap  181 
require  but  little  pruning        .  .       181 

when  defective,  should  be  headed  down  182 
method  of  treating  decayed  pear  trees, 

by  Forsyth  .  .  182 

method  of  reclaiming  unproductive  pear 

trees,  by  Mr.  Knight  .  184 

extraordinary  produce  after  heading  down  182 

185 


200 
205 
29 
180 
186 
186 
186 
186 
186 
186 
186 
186 
187 
187 
187 
187 
187 
187 
187 
188 
188 
188 
188 
188 
189 
189 
189 
189 
191 
191 
191 
192 
192 
192 
193 
193 
193 


Perry 
Poraona  Wine 


29 


226 


INDEX. 


Q 


Quince 


19; 


Sap,  theory  of  the  circulation  of 
Seaweed,  applied  to  fruit  trees  useful 
Seedling  Trees,  how  to  be  treated 
Scions,  wlien  to  be  taken  from  the  tree 

how  preserved  .  . 

iijiportance  of  r  proper  choice  of 
Slug  Worm,  descrijition  of 

remedy  fcr 
Suckers    should  cever  be  suffered  to  grow 
improper  for  stocks  to  graft  on 


29 
58 
31 
34 
34 
34 
106 
107 
66 
36 


Tanners'  Bark,  utility  of 


W 


Wiiie,  made  from  cider 

PoQiOna  .... 

Worm  called  the  Borer 

method  ef  destroying 

report  of  tiie  commiJtee  in  favour  of 

TVTr.  Hearsey's  method 
method  proposed  to  prevent  its  attack 


211 


179 
177 
100 
101 

102 
104 


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